Upload
buidiep
View
216
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Big Man at Big-D
Also:Q&A w/ GOED’s Val HaleColvin Celebrates 30 YearsHigher Ed Design Roundtable
February 2016
President/COO Rob Moore has been a main cog in the Utah-based firm’s overall success for more than 40 years.
CHOOSE A CAT® MACHINE. CHOOSE YOUR DEAL.
*Offers valid from February 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016 on select new models, financed by Cat Financial, manufactured by Caterpillar Inc. Building Construction Products Division. Offer available only at participating Cat dealers. Offer is available to customers in the USA and Canada only and cannot be combined with any other offers. Offer subject to machine availability. Machines sold in Canada by authorized dealers are priced in Canadian dollars and the price may take into account the exchange rate of Canadian dollars to U.S. dollars. Models shown here do not necessarily reflect the exact model and configuration to which the promotion applies. Offer trade-in rebates are based on a predetermined amount and may vary by model. **Rebate will be in addition to the dealer appraised trade-in value. All financed machines are subject to credit approval and rate may differ based on creditworthiness. The Cat Financial Commercial Account credit applies to all BCP models and is provided through Cat Financial for use at participating Cat dealers. Prices do not include taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, document fees, inspections, additional options, or attachments. Final machine prices are subject to change. Offer may change without prior notice and additional terms and conditions may apply. Contact your Cat dealer for details.
© 2016 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
0.9% FORSIXTY MONTHS*
$23,500REBATE ON YOUR TRADE-IN**GE
T UP
TO
A
OR
UP TO $1,000 IN CAT® DEALER CREDIT TOWARD PARTS, SERVICE OR RENTAL.*+Contact your Wheeler Machinery Co. Sales Representative for details. Call 801-978-1625 or visit wheelercat.com
The old phrase “Leave ‘em smiling!” applies to Arnold Silver Service®. Our associates are not only empowered, but they are obligated to make you,
our customer smile! How is it done . . . we ask one simple question . . . “What will make you happy” and then Do It! That is why when we say it we
mean it . . . customer Satisfaction is Our Only Policy®!
www.arnoldmachinery.com
Construction Equipment Division | Mining Equipment Division | Material Handling Equipment Division | General Implement Distributors Division
YOU WON’T LEAVE HERE WITHOUT IT!
Salt Lake City | Logan | Idaho Falls | Boise | Twin Falls | Elko | Reno | Las Vegas | Phoenix | Tucson | FlagstaffPortland | Billings | Gillette | Casper | Denver | Johnstown | Colorado Springs | Grand Junction | Jamestown | Grand Rapids | Minneapolis
(801) 972-4000
WE GOT OUR REPUTATION THE OLD FASHIONED WAY,
WE EARNED IT
At R&O Construction, we believe in a hard day’s work. We know the client comes first, and that we will be remembered most by how we finish a job. We’re only as good as our last project. Our job is not just
to build projects. Our job is to worry so our clients don’t have to, and to work each day so they can sleep each night. We are not entitled to our clients’ projects, we earn them. We stand behind our work and are committed to doing it right. We are down to earth, straight forward and honor two things above
all, our clients’ trust and the reputation we’ve built. Give us a call and let us go to work for you.
R & O C O N S T R U C T I O N
8 0 1 - 6 2 7 - 1 4 0 3 r a n d o c o . c omBig Enough
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
New.Gloves.FINAL.pdf 1 2/22/16 8:24 PM
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 7
Table of Contents
On the cover: Rob Moore stands by the stairs at Big-D’s corporate office in Salt Lake City. Moore has been with the firm for 40 years and helped the firm open their Salt Lake City office and grow from a small Ogden-based firm to have a national presence
Utah Construction & DesignUC&D
Features
24 2016 Economic Outlook Optimism abounds among Utah-based A/E/C firms as 2016 is expected to be another economically robust year.
28 Fire in his Belly Since 1976, Rob Moore has spurred Big-D from a small, Ogden-based firm, to one of the largest general contractors in the U.S
34 Peak Performance Innovation and teamwork allowed designers to tackle unique, once-in-a-lifetime challenges associated with building on a mountain top.
40 Higher Education Design Roundtable
48 Utah Cement Industry Holcim, Ashgrove Have Invested Millions in Local Plant Upgrades.
8 Publisher’s Message
10 Safety Trends
12 A/E/C People
18 Q&A With GOED’s Val Hale
20 Industry News 28
40
50 54
34
WE GOT OUR REPUTATION THE OLD FASHIONED WAY,
WE EARNED IT
At R&O Construction, we believe in a hard day’s work. We know the client comes first, and that we will be remembered most by how we finish a job. We’re only as good as our last project. Our job is not just
to build projects. Our job is to worry so our clients don’t have to, and to work each day so they can sleep each night. We are not entitled to our clients’ projects, we earn them. We stand behind our work
and are committed to doing it right. We are down to earth, straight forward and honor two things above all, our clients’ trust and the reputation we’ve built. Give us a call and let us go to work for you.
R & O C O N S T R U C T I O N
8 0 1 - 6 2 7 - 1 4 0 3 r a n d o c o . c omBig Enough
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
New.Gloves.FINAL.pdf 1 2/22/16 8:24 PM
50 Colvin Engineering 30th Anniversary
54 2016 AGC of Utah Convention Recap
58 AIA Utah 2015 Awards
62 Utah Masonry Council’s 2015 ‘Excellence in Masonry Design’ Awards
< Publisher’s Message
8 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Behind the Mic
For two full decades every Tuesday afternoon,
Steve Connor would leave work early and settle
into the radio booth at KRCL 90.9 FM – Salt Lake’s
community radio station (hands down the BEST
station in the SLC market for true music lovers, FYI,
unless, of course, you’d rather listen to the same
burned out REO Speedwagon, Styx or Journey song for the bazillionth time) – where for three
hours (3-6 p.m.) he would spin records (or CDs) to his heart’s delight.
For Connor, a mechanical engineer who was named Colvin’s President in September 2012,
his 20 years as a volunteer disc jockey from 1988-2008 were pure bliss, and provided another
outlet to unleash his creative juices beyond engineering. Even though KRCL underwent a
significant transformation in Spring ’08 – replacing 18 volunteer DJ’s with four paid full-time
ones – Connor harbors no ill will toward station managers, even though he at times still
misses being behind the mic.
“They took away my club, but they did the right thing for the station,” says Connor, whose
firm – founded by Tom Colvin in 1986 – celebrated its 30th anniversary in February. “It used to
be radio you listened for; now you just listen to it. I had a lot of fun – it’s still the best station in
town.”
Connor, who hails from a Maryland suburb of Washington D.C., has an eclectic taste in
music. He grew up listening to classic rock bands – among his favorites from back in the day
include The Who and The Rolling Stones. He said he is not a Beatles fan, but does appreciate
the band’s vast influence. “(The Beatles) were obviously trailblazers and some of the most
important people in music ever,” he admits, “but I prefer ‘Let It Bleed’ (Stones) vs. ‘Let It Be’
(Beatles).” Among current artists, Connor has a passion for bands like Head and the Heart,
Frightened Rabbit, Jason Isbell (formerly with Drive-By Truckers) and Lord Huron.
Besides Colvin’s 30th, this issue of UC&D includes a Q&A with Val Hale, Executive Director
of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, regarding GOED’s impact on recruiting
new businesses to the Beehive State. Hale served as the Athletic Director at Brigham Young
University from 1999-2004, so naturally, I showed up to our interview in my black University
of Utah jacket. Hale took it in good stride. (Memo to Chris Hill, Coach K at the U: Put the Cougs
back on your basketball schedule already).
Other articles include a look at the local cement industry, a recap of the AGC of Utah
Convention, and a Design Viewpoint of The Summit at Snowbird project, a dazzling new
facility at the top of Hidden Peak (11,000 ft. elevation).
Finally, our cover story profiles Rob Moore, President of Salt Lake-based Big-D
Construction. A 40-year veteran at Big-D, Moore received the Eric W. Ryberg award January 23
from the AGC of Utah for his long-time dedication to the construction industry. Moore is one
of the more fiery individuals I’ve met in the A/E/C industry and exudes extreme passion for his
work.
It’s gratifying to report on an industry that encompasses so many great people and firms
who are designing and building such amazing, life-enhancing projects. Our mission at UC&D
remains the same as we begin our fourth year: to serve as the ‘voice’ of Utah’s A/E/C industry.
We appreciate the many firms who have supported us the past three years and look
forward to working with you in what is expected to be a prosperous 2016!
Regards,
Brad Fullmer
UC&DUtah Construction & Design Magazine
4516 South 700 East, Suite 160
Murray, UT 84107
O: (801) 747-9202
M: (801) 433-7541
www.utahcdmag.com
Bradley H. Fullmer
Publisher/Managing Editor
Ladd J. Marshall
Advertising Sales Director
Jay Hartwell
Art Director
Utah Construction & Design is published eight (8) times a year. Postage paid in Salt Lake City, UT. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Subscriptions: $64.00 per year. Subscribers: If Postal Service alerts us that magazine is undeliverable to present address, we need to receive corrected address. Postmaster: Send address changes to 4516 S. 700 E., Suite 160, Murray, UT 84107. To subscribe or contribute editorial content, or for reprints, please call (801) 433-7541 or email [email protected]. For Advertising rates/Media Kit, please call (801) 872-3531 or [email protected].
Vol. 4 No. 1
Coming in March/April issue of UC&D:
Gardner Company Owner Spotlight
Sustainability/ Green Building
Glazing/Curtain Wall Systems
A/E/C Technology
10 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Have you ever wondered why people get
hurt at work? What caused the incident?
Who was at fault? Why wasn’t that
incident prevented? There are usually a
number of events, conditions or choices
that factor into an accident. While there
is no magic bullet that will prevent every
injury, there are two things all supervisors
can do that will help avoid injuries and
accidents. Set clear safety expectations,
and raise the bar.
Here’s an example. I want you to raise
your left hand over your head and keep it
there. Did you do it? Now raise your hand
a little higher. Good. Now one more time,
raise your left hand as high as you can.
OK, now put your hand down. Each time I
asked you to raise your hand higher, were
you able to do it? For most people the
answer will be yes. They could raise their
hand higher if they were asked to. Why
didn’t you raise your hand as high as you
could the first time? It was because you
didn’t know I wanted you to raise it that
high. I didn’t set that expectation in the
beginning.
Employees want to do a good job
and meet the supervisor’s expectations.
In fact, their jobs depend on doing what
the supervisor wants done. If a supervisor
sets a clear expectation that everyone will
wear hard hats and safety glasses, most
employees will wear the hard hats and
Raising the Bar By David Holland
> Safety Trends
David Holland
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 11
safety glasses. So if this is the case, why do
we still have injuries?
It has to do with a metaphorical bar,
where the supervisor holds the bar on
any given day, and tolerance. A tolerance
of “that’s the way we’ve always done it”,
a tolerance of “that’s my buddy so I let it
slide”. A tolerance of letting it go because
we can get by. A tolerance of bending the
rules for years and tolerating it one more
time.
If you look at your team or job site
or work areas, and find that your safety
performance is not where you want it to
be, then you need to take a look in the
mirror. Take a look and see what you have
tolerated and what those outcomes have
been, or could be. Then ask yourself the
question “do I need to re-focus on my level
of safety commitment”?
What standard will we use? You’ve
seen it yourself in your workplace. If you
set the bar, where do your people go? If
you raise the bar higher, where will they
go? If you let the bar drop to a lower level,
where do they go? You are the person the
workers look to. They know that at work,
you’re the man (or woman). They will show
up at work and say to themselves, “Where
is the bar today”?
The questions become, where are
you going to set the bar? How good is
good enough? I suggest that you should
set the bar so that everything you do,
every conversation you have and every
decision you make, you do it with one
thing in mind. You do it like someone’s
life depends on your choice. Your choices
and actions could decide whether people
live or people die. If we are truly going to
be injury free, we have to end the cycle of
tolerance and make choices like someone’s
life depends on it. When you are having
safety discussions with your team, would
it change the tone of the conversation if
you told the workers that you are making
decisions because their lives depend on it?
As supervisors, you are responsible.
You can delegate out the tasks, but you
cannot delegate your responsibility to the
company and your crew. n
David Holland is the owner of Wasatch
Safety Group in Syracuse. He has more
than 20 years experience in health, safety
and environmental management and is
involved in areas such as safety training,
risk and claims management, program
creation and development, and coaching.
He can be reached at 801-540-7606.
> Safety Trends
Employees want to do a good job and meet the
supervisor’s expectations. In fact, their jobs depend on doing what the supervisor
wants done.
12 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
The State of Utah’s Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) recently
announced Eric Tholen as its new
Director.
An architect by trade, Tholen was
formerly a Vice President and co-owner of
Salt Lake-based EFT Architects. He earned
both Master in Architecture and a Bachelor
of Social and Behavioral Science degrees and
is also a LEED Accredited Professional (AP).
Tholen is certified by the National Council
of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB),
and is licensed in multiple states throughout
the Intermountain and Western U.S. regions.
Tholen brings more than 35 years of
construction and architecture experience
to DFCM. He has extensive experience in
the areas of value engineering, claims and
schedule analysis, project and program
management, along with architectural
design, facilities programming, and
forensic architecture. His comprehensive
project management skills include team
development, organization, QA/QC,
scheduling and budgeting. His expertise
ranges from recreation, higher education
and institutional, sports and government
facilities to health care, research
laboratories and animal facilities.
“I am excited for the opportunity
to serve as DFCM Director,” said Tholen.
“Although I have lived in Utah all of
my life and have a vested interest in
the community, much of my work in
government and higher education has
been out of state. Having been involved
in architecture and construction in-state
and out-of-state, I have observed that the
architecture and construction community
in Utah and the DFCM have a great work
ethic, and I
look forward
to continuing
to be a part
of it – now on
behalf of the
State of Utah.”
Tholen
has directed
multi-million
dollar
programs
and has
extensive experience with State and Federal
Government Agencies and standards. He
has been the Officer-in-Charge of two
consecutive IDIQ Contracts for the General
Services Administration, providing services
for various federal agencies, including but
not limited to, U.S. Courts; Probation; US
Marshal Service (USMS); Social Security
Administration (SSA); Internal Revenue
Service (IRS); Department of Homeland
Security (DHS); the US Department of
Agriculture (USDA); and the U.S. Postal
Service (State of Utah). He also developed
DHS Housing and Inspection Stations
along our northern border. He recently
served as Committee Chair for the AIA Utah
Government Affairs Committee, as well as
a being a member of the State Government
Network (SGN), addressing current-day
issues facing the built environment.
Salt Lake-based Monsen Engineering announced a change of leadership within
the 42-year-old A/E/C supply firm, effective
January 1, 2016, according to long-time
executives Richard Monsen (CEO), and
Paul Monsen (CFO).
Three of Richard’s children and two of
Paul’s are part of the newly created Board
of Directors, led by James Monsen, who is
the new company President.
“The new position is about day-to-day
management and improving our systems
and workflows,” said James, 37, who started
working for the family business in 2002 and
Former Architect Eric Tholen New DFCM Director
Monsen Engineering announces new Board; BDG names 5 new principals; RE+A engineers earn licenses; Carson named Principal at VCBO; Tuttle earns masonry award
> A/E/C People
Eric Tholen
Monsen Engineering recently created a new Board of Directors. Richard and Paul Monsen (seated) will serve as CEO/CFO, respectively. Other board members include (left to right): Emily Monsen, Alli Monsen, James Monsen(President), David Monsen, Mikel Monsen. (photo by David Kingsbury)
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 13
recently served as the 3D Measurement
and Modeling Specialist. “Really, my biggest
goal is to improve the customer experience,
make it more streamlined and continue to
provide premium products and the best
customer service as we can.”
The company sells a variety of
products, including Trimble survey
equipment, HP large format multi-function
printers, Faro 3D scanners, Seco supplies,
and offers equipment training and in-house
reprographic services.
Monsen Engineering was founded in
March 1974 by family patriarch Roger P.
Monsen, who formally ‘retired’ in the mid-
90’s, yet continued to show up to the office
daily until his passing in September 2004.
James said he enjoyed being able to learn
directly from his grandfather and relishes
the opportunity to continue the firm’s long-
time family heritage.
“There is a certain level of pride that
goes along with continuing on the family
name in this industry,” he said. “It was a
great opportunity to spend eight hours a
day, five days a week with my grandfather,
and also working with Richard and Paul.
To be able to go in and hear his stories…
how the company was started and the
hundreds of relationships he developed
in the Intermountain area…to glean that
knowledge, it really was a privilege.”
Other board members include: Emily Monsen, Marketing; Alli Monsen, Operations; Mikel Monsen, Large Format
Sales/Service; David Monsen; Secretary.
Both Richard and Paul have been with
the firm since its inception, and have been
actively looking at this transition to the
family’s third generation for more than a year.
“James has a lot to learn – our entire
board has a lot to learn,” said Richard.
“It will take a few years before they
understand all the nuances of the business.
Paul and I have done things our way – just
because that’s the way we knew how to do
it – for 40 years. I knew what he was doing,
he knew what I was doing, but no one else
did. We do realize it will take months and
months of transition.”
All of the new board members have
been with the firm at least eight years, with
James having the most seniority with 14.
“We’ve kicked this idea around for a
couple of years and knew we needed to
do it,” added Paul. “(Business) changes in
theory only, but it’s a new beginning. All
of our kids worked here part-time while
they were in school. It was nice they could
come in and work and still have a flexible
schedule. We’ve always hoped the next
generation would pick it up and keep the
ball rolling.” >>
> A/E/C People
Carmine Leone
Clayton Burningham
Yasameen Allami
Daniel Mooney
Laura Clayton
Celestia Carson
Chris Hofheins Don Barker Jay Miller
Jeff Randle Tyler Jenkins
14 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
“It is satisfying – these guys are ready,”
said Richard about keeping the company
within the family for at least another
generation. “We have peers that own
companies like ours, and frankly, their kids
aren’t interested (in the family business).
It’s not an easy business to orchestrate a
transition in. Our counterpart in Arizona
recently sold to a Caterpillar dealer and his
kids didn’t want to do what dad did – he
had to find someone to buy him out.”
Besides Salt Lake City, Monsen
Engineering has branch offices in Las
Vegas and Reno, Nevada. With the A/E/C
industry thriving once again in Utah,
company executives are optimistic for a
continued bright future.
“Construction is supposed to grow
12% this year, so we’re optimistic,” Richard
added. “2015 was better than ’14…it makes
everybody more confident.”
“We’re importing new technologies
and trying to educate the market on these
new technologies,” said James. “We’re
lucky as a family – we’ve been fortunate
to work together and still maintain a good
familial relationship. We still get together
for family activities and owe a lot of that
to our grandmother. We run this like a
professional company but we’re able
to draw the line between professional
relationships and personal relationships.”
Five architects were recently
promoted to the position of Principal at
Salt Lake-based Babcock Design Group (BDG). Lou Phung, David Anderson, Wes Baker, Larry Oldham and Joseph Coates were all named to the firm’s
executive team.
This next generation of leadership
aims to further the commitment to design
excellence, high level of service, and the
rewarding team culture initiated by Senior
Principals, Rob Cottle, T.J. Winger, Brent Davis and Darin Bell. Through
a broad spectrum of unique expertise
and talent, the new principals add depth
to the firm’s knowledge base, extend
relationships with current clients and bring
new design opportunities to the company.
Babcock Design Group also announced
two recent additions to its staff, Carmine
Leone and Yasameen Allami. Leone
joined BDG last October. He holds a Master
of Architecture from North Carolina State
and brings 13 years of experience to the
firm. As the son of immigrants from Italy,
he has an innate passion for the diversity
found from one culture to another and
how the built environment is reflected
within them. To feed that passion, he has
designed and built schools, homes and
hospitals in Honduras, Africa and the
Philippines.
Allami, an Iraqi immigrant, earned
a Bachelor of Architecture from the
University of Technology in Baghdad in
2003, and her architectural license in 2006.
She moved with her family to the U.S. in
2010. She is responsible for producing
working drawings from schematic design
to construction documents and enjoys
creating 3D renderings. She is aiming to
earn her Utah architect’s license in the
near future.
BDG also announced that Laura Clayton recently earned her Utah
architect’s license. She holds a Master of
Architecture from the University of Utah
and has practiced in Utah since 2006.
She is an active member of the AIA Utah
Committee on the Environment and the
Committee on Urban Design. She is a LEED
AP and serves as the firm’s Sustainability
Coordinator, with experience working on
civic, educational, senior living laboratory,
healthcare/wellness, and community-
based projects.
Several engineering professionals
from Reaveley Engineers + Associates of Salt Lake have received professional
licenses. Project Engineers Clayton Burningham and Daniel Mooney
recently passed exams and have been
licensed as Professional Engineers. Also,
Jesse Malan earned his Professional
Structural Engineering license. Of RE+A’s
30 engineers, 21 are professionally
licensed. Of the 21 licensed engineers,
11 are professional structural engineers,
demonstrating the firm’s technical
expertise and commitment to the
structural engineering profession.
Burningham is a graduate of the
University of Utah with a Doctor of
Philosophy in Civil and Environmental
Engineering. Mooney holds a Master of
Civil Engineering from Brigham Young
University. Malan is a graduate of the
University of Utah with a Master of Civil
Engineering.
> A/E/C People
Five architects were recently promoted to the position of Principal at Babcock Design Group. From left to right: Lou Phung, Wes Baker, David Anderson, Joseph Coates, and Larry Oldham.
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 15
Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture has promoted Celestia Carson to
Principal. Carson earned her Master of
Architecture from the University of Utah in
2001 and has been with VCBO since 2000.
She has excellent collaboration skills and is
a talented architect, and a role model and
mentor for young architects. She works
with a diverse mix of client groups and has
earned the respect of her colleagues, both
within the firm and in the industry at large.
Carson is the founder of non-profit
organization Women in Architecture in
Salt Lake City, a cause that aims to improve
the future of women who want to pursue
architecture as a viable long-term career.
BHB Consulting Engineers of Salt
Lake City announced a reorganization of
its executive team.
Chris Hofheins will serve as BHB’s
President. He has 18 years of structural
engineering experience on notable
projects such as the University of Utah
South Jordan Health Center, University
of Utah Basketball Training Center and
the Boyer 101 Office Tower and Parking
Structure. Hofheins graduated with a
Master of Structural Engineering from the
University of Utah in 1999 and received
an MBA from Brigham Young University
in 2003. His expertise in structural
engineering and his business acumen make
him a natural leader for BHB.
BHB’s CEO is Don Barker, a driving
force behind the firm’s success. His
structural engineering career spans four
decades and he is known for his cost-
saving designs. Some of Barker’s most
prominent projects are the Primary
Children’s Medical Center, Murray High
School Replacement, Granger High School
Replacement and LDS Concepcion Chile
Temple.
Jay Miller is BHB’s COO and he has
led the firm’s CAD department for the last
14 years. Because of Miller’s dedication
to keeping BHB technologically current,
BHB is an Autodesk Beta Gold site in
Utah, meaning the firm is trained on new
software six months before public release.
Additionally, Miller is a member of the
steering committee for the NCS (National
CAD Standards) Layer Guidelines and a
voting member on all NCS and NBIMS
projects.
BHB is licensed in 50 states with
offices in Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho.
Anderson Wahlen & Associates (AWA) of Salt Lake Cityannounced that Jeff Randall has been promoted to
Associate Principal. Randall has been
with AWA for 20 years; his experience
includes field surveying, CAD drafting,
project management, design engineering,
government entitlements, and
construction administration.
He currently manages numerous
employees in AWA’s Commercial Division
and is responsible for maintaining the high
quality and personal customer service
which the firm has maintained for 57
years.
Tyler Jenkins has joined Salt Lake-
based Wilson & Company as the firm’s
Utah Survey Manager. He holds a Bachelor
in Communications with a minor in Design
Technology from Southern Utah University
and is a Professional Land Surveyor
licensed in Utah.
“We’re excited to have Tyler on our
team,” said Ryan Branfort, Senior VP. “He
has strong relationships with clients
across the state, and is well-known for his
technical capabilities, as well as his ability
to understand client needs.”
Throughout his career Jenkins has
been responsible for data calculations,
layout, setting project control, and
CADD survey analysis. He has experience
in deed research, boundary analysis,
right of way acquisition documents,
road dedication plats, right of way
boundary surveys, and civil site and
building construction surveying. He has
managed more than 40 land development
projects from concept to plat completion,
and most recently managed up to 18
surveyors to successfully complete
major transportation projects across the
Wasatch Front.
Scott Tuttle of Salt Lake-based QUIK Trowel won the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500
competition February 3 during the World
of Concrete event in Las Vegas with a brick
count of 775.
Tuttle earned a king’s ransom of
prizes, including a 2016 Ford F-250 Crew
Cab truck, $5,000 cash, a STIHL TSA 230
cut-off machine, along with a ‘World’s Best
Bricklayer’ trophy.
“It’s a very impressive
accomplishment,” said Brent Overson,
Executive Director of the Utah Masonry
Council. “Scott won the Spec Mix Top
Craftsman award in 2012, so it was exciting
to see him win the 2016 World’s Best Brick
Layer Title. He continues to prove that he’s
one of the best and fastest masons in the
entire country.”
Established by SPEC MIX, Inc. in 2003
to showcase the skill and craftsmanship
of professional masons, the competition
is a two-person effort consisting of a
mason and a mason tender that are given
60 minutes to construct a 26 x 8 double
wythe brick wall, while meeting strict
quality standards. Judged by more than
30 qualified industry experts, the results
are based on the highest brick counts that
meet the standards and competition
rules. >>
> A/E/C People
16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Harvey Wright Passes Away at 86
Harvey Emmett Wright, a long-time
construction professional with Salt Lake-
based Jacobsen Construction, passed
away January 27, 2016, after a 15-year battle
with cancer.
Wright was born July 4, 1929 in
American Fork and spent more than five
decades working in Utah’s construction
industry in various capacities, ultimately
capping his career as the General
Superintendent on the historic LDS
Conference Center, which was completed
in April 2000 by Legacy Contractors (a joint-
venture between Salt Lake firms Jacobsen
Construction, Layton Construction and
Okland Construction).
According to son Terry Wright, a Senior
VP with Jacobsen Construction, Wright
started working for Paulsen Construction
in 1948 in Salt Lake before joining Jacobsen
in 1952. Over the next nearly 50 years he
served mainly as a COO, Project Manager
and Project Superintendent, working on
a host of innovative, highly challenging
projects, including seismic base isolation
retrofits on the Salt Lake City County
Building and the Joseph Smith Memorial
Building (formerly Hotel Utah).
“He had a ‘can-do’ attitude and he loved
the challenges that come with construction,”
said Terry Wright, a 35-year veteran at
Jacobsen. “He wasn’t afraid of something
that hadn’t been done before. He was very
innovative. He learned to collaborate with
subcontractors and the folks on site. They
would work with him and he would work for
them…that made him successful.”
He continued, “I remember learning
how to underpin and support buildings,
putting in new footings and columns. I
remember walking through sequences
and learning how to make projects
work. We used a lot of those (innovative
techniques) when we pioneered the work
on the Utah State Capitol and the Provo
City Center Temple. They were the same
type of processes we learned from earlier
projects.”
In addition to Terry, Wright is survived
by wife Connie, son John (a Project Manager
at Jacobsen), and daughter Cathy. n
> A/E/C People
West Haven, UT 84401 Salt Lake City, UT 841043400 S. Midland Drive
801-627-0049 801-262-7441
1380 S. Distribution Drive 831 E. Factory Drive St. George, UT 84790
435-652-8003
www.Honnen.com1-800-646-6636
HONNENEQUIPMENT
KEEP MATERIALS MOVING AND PROFITS FLOWING.
18 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Val Hale is an extremely competitive
individual, which is understandable given
that one of his former jobs was serving
as Athletic Director for Brigham Young
University (BYU) from 1999 to 2004. Named
the Executive Director of the Governor’s
Office of Economic Development in August
2014, Hale has been diligently working the
past 18 months with GOED executives and
other organizations such as the Economic
Development Council of Utah (EDCU) to
attract new businesses to locate within the
Beehive State – one of Utah Governor Gary
Herbert’s chief priorities during his tenure
as the state’s top political leader since
August 2009.
Hale is a graduate of Orem High School
and earned both Bachelor and Master degrees
in Communications from BYU. Hale has been
a journalist at The Provo Daily Herald and
spent 30 years in the higher education field,
including Assistant Vice President of External
Affairs at Utah Valley University (then State
College) in Orem. He was a long time board
member of the Utah Valley Chamber of
Commerce, including a stint as President/CEO.
He believes there is a direct tie to business and
education, and that businesses should play
a key role in helping their employees and the
general community become better educated.
Utah Construction & Design had a
chance to sit down with Hale recently and
discuss his outlook for Utah’s economy in
2016 and beyond.
UC&D: Business seems to be booming
in the design and construction industry in
Utah. What are the primary factors driving
this significant activity?
Hale: It goes back to the overall
economic health right now of the state.
There seems to be a demand for all types of
construction and everything seems to be
expanding. All types of business services
are in demand.
UC&D: What is your outlook for 2016
in terms of positive economic growth
continuing in the A/E/C industry?
Hale: I don’t see any reason why our
economy would slow down. The (Federal
Government is) raising interest rates a
bit, but the fundamentals are in place for
continued growth. Utah should continue
to grow and prosper throughout this
year. The only thing negative would be if
Washington D.C. does something stupid.
There are continuing concerns about
workforce issues. Can we find workers to
fill the jobs needed out there?
UC&D: The commercial office market
has exploded the past 18-24 months. What
has been GOED’s role in this market’s
growth? What is your outlook for this
market over the next two years (2016-17)?
Hale: One of our primary roles is to
recruit businesses from out of state and
help businesses expand within our state. We
think we’ve done a good job at both. We’ve
offered incentives to a lot of companies who
have relocated here or chosen to expand
local operations. As you drive south on I-15 all
along the freeway you see these companies
who have chosen to come here. Many have
decided to stay here as well. I think we
contribute a great deal in that regard.
UC&D: How does the incentive
process work? How important is economic
development to Governor Herbert?
Hale: When we offer incentives to
businesses, one of the things we consider
is the amount of capital investment they
will bring to the state. As we determine the
incentive we consider the amount of the
investment. The result has been billions
and billions of dollars that have come
into EDTIF (Economic Development Tax
Increment Financing) program since 2006
(started by then Governor Jon Huntsman
Jr.). (Governor Herbert) makes no bones
about the fact that his No. 1 priority is to
keep Utah’s economy strong. When you
have a strong economy, as businesses
thrive they pay taxes and that creates
revenues for schools, for transportation,
for all of the things we need to maintain
our quality of life and educate our children.
If you don’t have a good economy,
everything is much more difficult to fund.
That is his top priority; that’s the way he
sets everything up in his administration.
UC&D: What other private sector
markets are seeing positive growth, and
how confident are you about these markets
heading into next year?
Hale: One that has been explosive
is IT (Information Technologies). The
software IT market is booming here in Utah
and should continue to do so. I read an
article recently in Mashable (online digital
magazine) that said if you want to be a
star programmer, learn Java and move to
Utah. We’re getting those accolades on a
regular basis. Aerospace and composite
manufacturing are doing well, with
companies like Boeing, ATK, Hexel and
Harris. Energy is down in regards to oil, but
we are actually doing well in solar, and we
Hale Leads GOED’s Business Development Charge
> Q&A: with Val Hale
Val Hale
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 19
have a number of wind farms in Southern
Utah coming online.
UC&D: You’ve been on the job now
for 18 months. What has been one of your
biggest challenges? What has surprised
you most about GOED and its business
activities?
Hale: Our biggest challenge is also
everybody’s challenge – finding a solution
for our workforce dilemma and finding
people to fill jobs. That seems to be the No.
1 cause of heartburn across all sectors. As
a government we need to help businesses
find those solutions and do what we can
within the scope of what government
should do. The Utah Aerospace Pathways
program allows students in their senior year
to graduate with a certificate in aerospace
manufacturing and be ready to go work. It
provides great jobs, higher wages, and great
benefits. If they work for a year, they are
eligible for (college) tuition reimbursements.
It’s a tremendous opportunity for young
people. It’s a matter of taking the template
for that program and applying it to other
industries. There is no reason they can’t
do that. We to find students that want to
pursue that profession and team them
up with contractors, and also implement
training programs for adult workers.
UC&D: Your career suggests you’re
a pretty competitive guy, having served
as the Athletic Director at BYU from 1999
to 2004. I take it those competitive juices
come in handy in a role like you’re in now?
Hale: Part of what we do is sales and
recruiting. It’s like trying to recruit a five-
star company, like it is when you’re trying
to recruit a company like eBay or Google.
It does become like a game, like an athletic
contest, and you try and compete for the
interest and attention of those companies.
We like the fact we’re consistently at the
top of these ranking. We understand that
to stay on top is harder than it is to get
there. Our goal is to create a dynasty. Five
of the last six years Utah has been named
the best state for business and careers
by Forbes magazine. Pollina Corporate
Real Estate also named us the No. 1 state
for business the last four years. We have
a dynasty going; we need to figure out
how to stay on top. It’s not easy, but we’re
going to figure out a way to do it. Our
mission is to improve Utah’s quality of life
by increasing revenue, diversifying the
economy, and providing high quality jobs.
UC&D: Is there a certain region of
the country you tend to focus on, or is it
primarily dependent on a region’s current
economy?
Hale: It depends. We recruit from
all over. There seems to be a steady
exodus out of California – it doesn’t mean
(companies) are leaving – they are choosing
to do expansions. A lot of Silicon Valley
companies – Adobe, eBay, EMC – they have
chosen in recent years to expand to our
state. We’ve had a lot of outdoor recreation
companies move here, along with firms like
BioFire and Life Sciences.
UC&D: There has been recent success
attracting foreign companies like Petzl
America, among others, to build new
U.S. headquarters in Utah. What is the
outlook for attracting more international
companies to Utah?
Hale: We’ve certainly had some good
wins. Stadler Rail (a Swiss firm) is one of
the top rail manufacturing companies in
world. They are looking to set up a U.S.
headquarters to manufacture rail cars
and are coming to Utah to do a two-year
project. Then they’ll decide on a U.S.
location. We’re hoping we can convince
them to stay here. Selle Royal (an Italian
firm) is a bicycle parts manufacturing
company that is relocating to Ogden. We
see the international market as a very
fertile market and it’s a huge win for the
state to get those firms. They build new
buildings and hire our residents. n
> Q&A: with Val Hale
20 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
How durable is concrete pavement?
That was one of the main topics
discussed January 20 during the 15th
annual Concrete Pavement Workshop for
the Utah Chapter of the American Concrete
Pavement Association (ACPA) at Little
America Hotel in Salt Lake City.
Tim Biel of Salt Lake-based CME
Transportation Group and Mike Darter,
former Emeritus Professor of Civil &
Environmental Engineering at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
and a consultant with ARA, Inc. addressed
350 industry professionals regarding the
general condition of concrete pavement
in Utah, mainly along high-traffic roads
including interstates, highways and major
arterials.
Biel and Darter referred to major
studies done in 1998 and 2004 along the
Wasatch Front and also looked at UDOT’s
database covering 108 sections that were
built at various stages from 1964 to 2015 in
UDOT Regions 1-3. The studies list a variety
of criteria, including:
• Overall pavement durability.
• How many sections needed
some form of concrete pavement
restoration (CPR), including spall
repair, slab replacement, dowel bar
retrofit and diamond grinding.
• Length of time before failure/need
for some kind of CPR.
• Median pavement age.
Part of the study evaluated a 105-
mile stretch of I-15 from Spanish Fork
to Ogden, which comprised pavement
surfaces of approximately 50% asphalt
vs. 50% concrete. Of the concrete
pavement sections, 20% required minor
rehabilitation, 20% had more major repair
work done, and the remainder was in
original condition. Looking over 32 years,
the average lifespan before some kind
of failure was 12.4 years for asphalt vs.
26.6 years for concrete, and only 12 of 20
concrete sections showed some kind of
failure.
In regards to the 108 sections studied
over 10-year increments (0-9, 10-19, 20-29,
etc.), Darter said 50% survived 40 years,
while many of the sections in general
showed “pretty good performance.”
From 10-19 years, Darter said 70%
of the sections received some kind of
CPR treatment. From 20-29 years, 28 of 29
projects needed CPR.
“There certainly is a lot of need for
restorative repair,” said Darter. “Faulting
is the number one (failure), spalling was
number two, along with some cracking
situations.” Other types of failures were
due to lack of dowel bars, the type of base
used (lean concrete vs. dense hot-mix
asphalt), larger top aggregates, and shorter
joint spacing.
“New AASHTO ME Design procedures
that Utah has now implemented will help
predict faulting for a variety of designs.
It also better accounts for traffic (loads),
base, joint spacing, and climate. This will be
a big help in controlling faulting problems.
It pushes survivability a decade into the
future.”
Also, projects built in the 60’s lasted
longer than those built in the 80’s. Biel said
Survival Analysis: How is Utah’s Concrete Pavement Holding Up?
Hunt opens Denver office; Industrial Supply celebrating 100 years; Big-D expands to Park City.
> Industry News
Concrete pavements on highways, roads and major arterials have proven to be extremely durable in Utah over the years, with minimal CPR work needed and life spans of 25+ years typically without needing major structural repairs. (Inset) Example of spalling on I-215.
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 21
this was due to not letting pavements cure
long enough, partly due to businesses that
complained about roads being shut down
for 5-7 days. Mix designs offered higher
early strengths, but not being properly
cured resulted in more failures and less
durability over shorter periods of time.
Low air entrainment was another factor,
along with some mixes that were more
permeable, allowing moisture and salt to
get into the concrete – a bad combination
in Utah’s freeze-thaw climate.
Overall, both Biel and Darter said that
with improved design, better materials
and a higher quality of initial construction,
concrete pavements can achieve a longer
lifespan with less CPR work required.
“Utah has done as good of a job
(maintaining concrete pavement on roads)
as any state,” said Darter, “but we still have
improvements to make.”
Industrial Supply
Celebrating 100 Years
Industrial Supply Company, one
of the Intermountain region’s largest
privately owned maintenance, repair,
operational and production (MROP)
distributors is celebrating its 100-year
anniversary in 2016. The company has
a series of events planned to mark the
occasion and thank clients in the mining,
construction, aerospace, energy, utilities
and manufacturing industries.
The company is planning several
events over the course of the year,
including a customer ‘thank you’ event
and a centennial dinner June 23-24 at its
Salt Lake headquarters, along with other
various community events.
Industrial Supply Company was
established in 1916 when Rudolph Orlob
founded the Mountain States Rubber
Company to provide products to the
mining industry. He later expanded into
tools, metals and fasteners to become a
leader in the industry with 8 locations and
200 employees serving customers in Utah,
Wyoming, Nevada and Idaho.
“Our company has grown up with
this region, and we are proud to be part
of its history.” said Philip M. Thompson,
Chairman of the Board and Orlob’s >>
22 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
grandson. He credits his grandfather’s
high standard of customer service for the
company’s staying power. “My grandfather
was legendary for his customer service
skills. He understood that if you treat
customers right, they will follow you
anywhere. Customer satisfaction is our No.
1 priority and always will be.”
Big-D Opens Park City Office
Big-D Construction of Salt Lake City has
opened a new office in Park City – the firm’s
fourth location in Utah and ninth overall
in the U.S. The new office will primarily
support Big-D’s Signature Group, a division
that focuses on high-end residential and
resort projects.
“Big-D has been constructing projects
in Park City for over 30 years, including the
current expansion of the Park City Medical
Center – this time we finally decided to
stay,” said Mike Kerby, Vice President of the
Park City office. “We are committed to being
part of the community for the long term.”
Some of Big-D’s notable projects in the
Park City area include the Swaner Eco Center,
Newpark Hotel & Condominiums, Newpark
Town Center, Cottonwood Newpark Office
Buildings, the current Park City Medical
Center Expansion, and Victory Ranch, a
project consisting of 23 high-end cabins.
Hunt Reaches New Heights
in Mile High City
After working in the Colorado market
the past 15 years, Hunt Electric of Salt Lake
City announced the opening of a fully-
functioning electrical contracting operation
in Denver – a testament to the market’s
vibrant construction scene.
Firm CEO Richard Hunt said it made
good business sense to expand to this
region.
“As we ramp up services in Colorado,
Hunt Electric’s Denver team will have a
great deal of horsepower behind it from day
one” said Hunt. He added the 30-year-old
firm employs over 400 people and sports a
.59 EMR safety rating.
The Colorado team is led by local
industry veterans Larv Franklin, Nate
Otterson and Mike Franklin. Combined,
this team has a wide-range of experience.
Larv who will serve as President has
47 years of experience in the electrical
industry including roles in leadership,
project management, and the field. Nate
(V.P. of Operations) and Mike (V.P. of Field
Operations) are both seasoned veterans
as well. Their project experience includes
everything from hotels to hospitals, data
centers to commercial buildings and
infrastructure projects.
Mixed-Use/Multi-Family
Project Slated for Downtown
ClearWater Homes and PEG
Development are looking at developing a
new mixed-use residential project at the
former Utah PaperBox site on 200 South 340
West.
The two-acre site is expected to include
168 residential units, commercial and retail
space, along with other amenities such as
a 10,000 SF park and plaza area. The firms
have partnered with Salt Lake-based VCBO
Architecture for the design.
Two five-story buildings are being
considered for the southwest and
southeast corners and will consist of studio,
one- and two-bedroom units, along with
underground parking. The project is slated
to break ground later this year.
Smith’s Projects Underway in Utah Co.
Smith’s Food & Drug has two new
Marketplace projects underway in Utah
County, with recent groundbreakings
January 25 in Springville and February 2 in
Saratoga Springs.
Both projects are 123,000 SF and
> Industry News
Hunt Electric’s Denver office is led by (left to right) Mike Franklin (VP of Field Operations, Larv Franklin (President), and Nate Otterson (VP of Operations).
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 23
approximately $26 million.
The Smith’s Marketplace in Springville
will anchor the first phase of a planned
25-acre commercial development called
‘Springville Marketplace’, which will
include two junior retail anchors and seven
additional commercial pads.
“We are excited to welcome Smiths
Marketplace, a longtime Wasatch Front
business, into our community,” said Wilford
Clyde, Springville City Mayor. “We feel the
citizens of Springville and the surrounding
communities will welcome the expanded
shopping opportunities that are developing
in Springville.”
The Saratoga Springs project, at the
northwest corner of Pioneer Crossing and
Redwood Road, is a $26 million 123,500 SF
Smith’s Marketplace and anchors Phase I of a
21-acre shopping center called ‘The Crossing’.
When both projects are completed in
late Fall 2016, Utah County will boast eight
Smith’s stores.
AAMA Updates Thermal
Performance Specs
The American Architectural
Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has
updated and released a document laying
out the process for determining the thermal
performance characteristics of fenestration
systems, specifically in commercial
buildings. This document was last updated
in 2012.
Fenestration impacts building energy
use through four basic mechanisms:
thermal heat transfer, solar heat gain,
visible transmittance and air leakage.
Condensation resistance is considered not
to affect energy use and is therefore not
a concern of the building codes. However,
CRF is an important thermal performance
characteristic and is therefore included in
this document.
“The primary driver for this revision
was for improvement and clarification
of the reporting certificate,” says Joe
Hayden (Pella), chair of the AAMA 507
Review Task Group. “This was previously
referred to as a ‘Certificate of Compliance,’
and has now been changed to a
‘Fenestration Product Rating Certificate’ to
better indicate its intended purpose.” n
24 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Has it really been eight years
since the ‘great recession’?
The fear and loathing many A/E/C
firms in Utah experienced following the
collapse of the residential housing market
– which in turn led to the nation’s worst
economic recession in more than a quarter
century – seems like a far-distant memory.
Such is the balm that accompanies
prosperous economic times, with Utah
ranking among the nation’s Top 10 states in
several key economic indicators, including
economic growth, job growth, low
unemployment rates, strong labor pool,
cheap energy, and a host of other factors.
“Utah has always been a great place to
live; it’s that much better when the economy
is performing like it is,” said Jim Wood, Senior
Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Public Policy
Institute at the University of Utah. “We have
great job growth, among the top 3-4 in the
country (3.7% in ’15; projected 3.5% in ‘16).
Our fundamentals look good – we don’t have
any overbuilt markets, although some are
worried about the housing market. The only
challenge or concern we have is a national
slowdown, but nothing right now in Utah
points to an overbuilt or ‘bubble’ in any of
the real estate markets.”
Wood, who tracks permit-authorized
construction (private companies) in
both the residential and non-residential
construction markets, said the non-
residential sector had a “stellar year” at
just over $2 billion total – the third highest
year ever for non-residential building
(real terms adjusted for inflation). He did
caution that that figure was skewed by a
$216 million oil refinery project in Davis
County for Holly/Frontier Oil, along with
a couple of large solar projects in Beaver
and Iron Counties that total approximately
$250 million. Still, $1.55 billion is a healthy
number, up about 6% from 2014’s $1.45
billion (albeit a ways away from 2007’s
peak of $2.4 billion).
Wood said the strongest commercial
construction markets include multi-
family and transit-oriented development
housing, commercial office, industrial, and
healthcare.
“We’re at historic levels in apartment
construction – it’s what the market wants,”
said Wood. “Overall, if you look at total
value of (non-residential) construction, it’s
the best year we’ve had in eight years. It
was indeed a good year.”
“Multi-family is certainly growing – it
has been doing better than single family,”
added Ken Simonson, Chief Economist for
the Associated General Contractors (AGC)
of America. “Multi-family has grown 25%. In
Utah, a high percentage of the population
is Millennials…they are favoring multi-
family housing. They have taken a lesson
from people who bought homes 12-15
Looking Good
Optimism abounds among Utah-based A/E/C firms as 2016 is expected to be another economically robust year.
By Brad Fullmer
> 2016 Economic Outlook
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 25
years ago…they are more cautious about
buying a home or condo.”
Simonson added that Utah’s
population growth – up 1.7% in ’15 (one
of only 7 states above 1.5%) – is fueled
partly by continued strong internal birth
rate numbers along with more people
migrating here. He noted that contractors,
by and large, are “upbeat about 2016”,
with more than one-third (34%) expecting
growth this year in 11 of 12 major markets.
Among the anticipated market leaders in
terms of growth percentage: retail (21%),
office (19%), hospital (19%), and multi-
family (14%).
“Utah’s construction industry is well-
positioned for another strong year in 2016,”
he added.
More Love from Forbes
Last October, Forbes Magazine
christened the Beehive State as the ‘Best
State for Business’ for the second straight
year and the fifth time since 2010 (Virginia
was No. 1 in 2013). It is the 10th time Forbes
has compiled such a list, ranking factors
in six weighted areas: economic climate,
labor supply, growth prospects, regulatory
environment, and quality of life.
The overall cost of business – including
labor, energy costs, taxes – is the most
heavily weighted category, and illustrates
the importance of Utah’s uber pro-
business climate, which is led by the State
of Utah’s Governor’s Office of Economic
Development (GOED) and the Economic
Development Corporation of Utah (EDCU).
According to Forbes, Utah fared well
across the board in the metrics that were
used for this ranking, placing among
the Top 6 states in five of the six broad
categories. Utah has a gross state product
of $141 billion and has a five-year annual
GSP growth of 2.4%. The state benefits
greatly from the following:
• Cheap energy costs (23% below
national average)
• Rising employment rates (over 2.2%
annual growth since 2010
• A young (read: inexpensive) and
highly educated workforce (Utah
perennially boasts the highest
internal birth rate, along with one
of the highest percentages of college
graduates per capita)
• A strong, efficient transportation
system (modern highways, state
of-the-art mass transit systems,
convenient airport location – plus
it’s currently undergoing a $1.8 billion
renovation)
• An influx the past decade of
prominent high-tech firms like Adobe,
eBay, Oracle, Microsoft, etc.
• Unobtrusive state business
regulations (GOED and EDCU have
helped lure dozens of businesses to
the state in recent years with creative
Economic Development Tax
Increment Financing (EDTIF)
tax credits)
Also according to Forbes (via
> 2016 Economic Outlook
26 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
PricewaterhouseCoopers survey), venture
capital firms invested just over $800 million
among 43 deals in Utah in 2014 – a total
more than triple the average of the previous
four years in the state. That $18.6 million per
deal average was second only to Florida and
the per capita investment was third behind
California and Massachusetts.
“One of our primary roles is to recruit
businesses from out of state and help
businesses expand within our state,” said
Val Hale, GOED Executive Director. “We think
we’ve done a good job at both. We’ve offered
incentives to a lot of companies who have
relocated here or chosen to expand local
operations. As you drive south on I-15 all
along the freeway you see these companies
who have chosen to come here. Many have
decided to stay here as well. I think we
contribute a great deal in that regard.”
Rich Thorn of the Associated General
Contractors (AGC) of Utah said members
of his association, by and large, have been
expressing significant optimism over the
current economic climate.
“There are a lot of good things on the
horizon,” said Thorn, whose association
boasts two offices (Salt Lake and St.
George) and an annual membership of
approximately 500 firms. “I’ve been in many
high-level roundtable meetings already this
year with construction presidents and CEO’s
and other high-ranking leaders and across
the board they say all sectors of Utah’s
construction industry look bright. The
biggest challenge facing our industry right
now is workforce, or lack thereof. Because
of the optimism and lack of workers, AGC
has programmed more resources (time,
staff, money) to addressing this issue.”
Wood added that he envisions 2017
will also be a solid year, even if 24-month
forecasts predict a slight decrease in
construction activity.
“I would think, barring a national
recession, which would be set off by
international events in China and the
Mideast…barring that, all our forecasts out
to 2017 are positive,” said Wood. “We show
a little bit of a slowdown by ’17, but still very
good growth (3.1% economic growth with
45,000 jobs added). For the next 24 months we
should be good.”
Q&A w/Roger Christensen
Sr. VP, Business Development & Communications
Significant Changes in Banking Industry Since Recession
UC&D: What are the most significant
changes the banking industry has made
since the ‘Great Recession’ of 2008?
Christensen: Government regulation
has increased: Though these regulations
have increased, this has not slowed our
Banks ability to lend to quality borrowers.
In addition, Bank of Utah was one of only
a few banks in Utah that did not have a
quarter of negative earnings through the
recession. We will continue to actively
seek opportunities to aid our customers
in the area of lending, deposit, trust and
wealth management needs that will help
them improve their financial situation.
Through increased regulation, the
government is trying to ensure there will
not be widespread bank failures when
another recession hits our economy.
These regulations have been costly to the
industry and have limited some lending
opportunities.
UC&D: Are banks more willing to
lend money for commercial construction
projects? When did that tide start changing
for the positive?
Christensen: Bank of Utah has
always sought and continues to actively
seek quality commercial construction
projects. The tide to lend on these types
of projects started to turn industry-wide
approximately three years ago. As banks
restored their capital and their loan quality
improved, they have been able to increase
their lending in all areas of the economy.
UC&D: How are rates today for
commercial developers compared to, say 5
years ago?
Christensen: Interest rates and the
loan fees for construction projects have
become more competitive since the great
recession for two reasons. First, banks’
balance sheets are healthier now and
have more ability to lend, thus creating
more competition in the market. Second,
inflation has been kept in check and
therefore rates have stayed low.
UC&D: Are you seeing a lot more
activity in the commercial construction/
development side right now? How was 2015
vs. 2014 regarding this? What is the outlook
for 2016?
Christensen: Our bank has seen
a consistent growth in 2014 and 2015 in
commercial construction and development
projects in our markets. This includes
all segments of the real estate market;
apartments, owner occupied buildings,
industrial project, and retail buildings
etc. 2016 is starting off with promising
results; however there are many factors
that could change our markets, including
the international economic slowdown.
We continue to remain vigilant to market
changes. Our goal is to make the best
decision when lending for our customer and
the bank.
UC&D: How much of a benefit is
Utah’s solid economy to commercial
businesses looking to build new projects?
Christensen: We are very fortunate
to be located in a state with such a strong
economy. I believe our economic base
did not happen by chance. It was created
through the hard work and ingenuity of
residents, business owners and workers
of the great companies that reside in our
state. Because this is not lost on outside
investors, I believe we will continue to
outperform the national economy. These
factors will continue to draw new business
and expansion for current businesses in
our state. As these companies continue
to grow, they will need new facilities and
continue to build new projects. n
> 2016 Economic Outlook
BURDICK MATERIALS(435) 781-0956
HALES SAND & GRAVEL(435) 529-7434
JACK B. PARSON COMPANIES(800) CONCRETE
REYNOLDS EXCAVATING(801) 566-2110
IDAHO MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION(208) 466-5001
WESTERN ROCK PRODUCTS(435) 628-4384
WWW.STAKERPARSON.COM(801) 731-1111
IMC
SAND, ROCK & LANDSCAPE PRODUCTS ASPHALT & PAVING CONSTRUCTION SERVICESREADY-MIXED CONCRETE
Thank you for making Staker Parson Companies a Utah Best of State winner and ENR Mountain States Contractor of the Year.
12 YEARS AND RUNNING
WE PICKED UP A COUPLE NEWAWARDS
28 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Since 1976, Rob Moore has spurred Big-D from a small, Ogden-based firm, to one of the largest general contractors in the U.S., with 9 national offices and annual revenues expected to hit the $1 billion mark in 2016.
By Brad Fullmer
Fire inHis Belly
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 29
Fire inHis Belly
ob Moore’s meteoric
ascension from small town
ranch hand to President/
COO of one of Utah’s
top volume generating
general contractors can
be attributed to a number of factors, but
primarily due to his ultra-competitive
nature and desire to be at the top of his
profession.
As son Cory stated, “He always had this
innate passion and drive – he calls it a ‘fire
in his belly’. He’s always had it. His motto is
‘work hard, play hard, and never, ever give
up.”
“He was always a very competitive,
very aggressive person,” added Dale Sat-
terthwaite, long-time Big-D Senior Vice
President who started with the firm a year
before Moore and was one of founder Dee
Livingood’s three ‘young lions’ (along with
Dee’s son, Jack) who really drove the firm
to new, greater heights starting in the 80’s.
“Rob didn’t like to lose when he was on a
sales call and had a natural passion for the
work. He’s definitely polished up a lot since
then – as we all do as we go through life.”
“Even in his 20’s he had this tremendous
drive to succeed and make his mark in
this industry,” recalled Big-D CEO Jack
Livingood. “It didn’t take long for my father
to take him under his wing. He won some
of our bigger projects early on; he helped
take us from a mom and pop construction
company into something more than that.”
The Associated General Contractors
(AGC) of Utah recognized Moore’s influence
on the construction industry by awarding
him with the Eric W. Ryberg award – the
association’s ‘lifetime achievement award’
– January 23 during the AGC’s 94th annual
convention.
“He’s always had the best interests
of the construction industry in mind and
wanting to move it forward and make it
better,” said Satterthwaite. “That award is
well-deserved.”
“Rob brings passion to the construction
industry like few others,” said Rich Thorn,
President/CEO of the Associated General
Contractors (AGC) of Utah, of which Moore
served as Chairman in 2014. “Rob brings his
“A” game to the office, jobsite or wherever
he happens to be. He’s a great mentor and
a consummate professional.” >>
Industry Legends
R
30 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Pretty heady stuff for a guy who
grew up on a quarter horse ranch in the
mountains of tiny Henefer, Utah, and who
desired nothing more than an opportunity
to work hard and prove himself.
Learning to FlyMoore’s upbringing as the fourth of five
children on the family ranch, and also working
for his father’s small excavation company,
taught him “there are no free things in life.
I grew up in an environment where you
earn your way every day. A lot of folks who
come from a rural environment from my
generation…we grew up working hard.”
That hard work included running a
bulldozer by age 14, fixing equipment,
building fences and mucking horse stalls.
At 15, Moore began spending entire
summers bucking hay for Deseret Land
& Livestock in the small Utah towns of
Woodruff and Randolph, making $10/day
working, as he recalled, “from sun up to
sun down – I didn’t know the difference.”
After graduating from high school,
Moore got a job working for Utah Systems
Builders as an erector of pre-manufactured
steel buildings and quickly moved up
from project laborer to superintendent,
ultimately catching the eye of Big-D founder
Dee Livingood, who called Moore in January
’76 with an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“I was 22 years old, had hair down to my
shoulders, and was working in Logan on the
Logan Rec Center and it was 20 degrees below
zero,” said Moore. “Dee said his firm wanted
to do more pre-engineered work and asked
me if I’d come in and help him in the office.”
The firm quickly secured a franchise to
sell Butler Manufacturing pre-engineered
building systems and Moore was cut
loose to start selling, literally making cold
calls to firms in Ogden and North Davis
Country who worked in industrial and
manufacturing markets.
By 1980, Moore said Big-D was one of the
top sales organizations in the country for
Butler and helped propel the firm into bigger
and better future opportunities within that
sector, which remains one of the firm’s key
markets to date. Moore’s first sale was a
2,400 SF pre-engineered building for G.S.
Harris Co., a stone manufacturing company
in Ogden that is still in operation today.
Moore would help clients envision, design
and build their projects, while typically
trying to avoid the general bid market.
“Dee brought Dale into the office as
an estimator and we started to see more
success,” said Moore. “We weren’t bidding
projects – we were pitching projects and
putting projects together for clients. I
enjoyed meeting people, telling clients we
can get it done for them, making a promise
and delivering on that promise. We really
enjoy design-build. That’s important to
Big-D and it’s how we built many long-time
relationships.” >>
Even in his 20’s he had this tremendous drive to succeed and make his mark in this industry. It didn’t take long for my father to take him under his wing. He won some of our bigger projects early on; he helped take us from a mom and pop construction company into something more than that. – Jack Livingood
“
”
The S.J Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah and Salt Lake Public Library (right) are spaces that inspire learning with vast amounts of natural light and high levels of craftsmanship.
32 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Competing with the ‘Big Boys’; Expanding Presence Nationally
By 1988, Moore, Satterthwaite and
the younger Livingood were more-or-less
running the firm, as Dee had “semi-retired”
according to Jack, partly due to health
issues. With the three ‘young lions’ in the
office and 15 more in the field, the firm was
hardly on par revenue-wise with larger,
more established general contractors, but
it did start to land bigger jobs and gained
confidence and experience with every met
deadline and satisfied client.
Jack said Rob and his out-sized
personality challenged other leaders within
the firm to take personal accountability
and maximize the potential of every Big-D
employee. Dee passed away in June ‘95, but
the firm was in solid hands and continuing
to grow. The high-profile Scott M. Matheson
Courts Complex – a $68.2 million, 420,000 SF
building – was completed in 1998 and was a
testament to how far the firm had come in
two short decades.
“(Big-D’s growth) was a combination
of (Rob’s) passion and drive with Dee’s big
heart and vision that really helped the firm
grow,” said Cory, a Senior Vice President
with the firm. “There was a tipping point;
Rob, Jack and Dale started doing things
even beyond what Dee wanted to do.”
Moore credits Big-D’s many repeat
clients for giving it opportunity after
opportunity to prove itself on challenging,
highly complicated projects. Many of
these clients took Big-D out of state to
build projects, which partly explains how
the firm now boasts 1,000 employees
in nine offices: four in Utah – Ogden,
Salt Lake (headquarters), Lindon, and
He’s one of those people who wants to do it all, but knows he can’t now. He’s really turned into a coach to myself and everybody else. He’s calling plays, prepping the team for game day – that’s the best way to explain (his current role). – Cory Moore
“
”
The Natural History Museum of Utah is one of many key projects that Big-D has completed over the years.
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 33
Park City – along with Las Vegas, Tempe
(AZ), Pleasanton (CA), Jackson (WY) and
Minneapolis (MN).
“(Repeat clients) certainly helped us in
our growth,” said Moore. “Our customers
would take us to certain geographical
locations, but a lot of our growth was
also based on having entrepreneurial
employees. We’ve established a culture
of making sure we take care of clients. I
can’t touch everything; it goes back to the
values Dee instilled within me, Dale, Jack,
Forrest (McNabb)…that’s what keeps us at
the forefront.”
“He’s one of those people who wants
to do it all, but knows he can’t now,” added
Cory. “He’s really turned into a coach to
myself and everybody else. He’s calling
plays, prepping the team for game day –
that’s the best way to explain (his current
role). He’s on the sideline making sure Big-D
has the right processes and systems in
place to allow employees to be the best
they can.”
“Rob’s leadership goes far beyond
the walls of Big-D,” said Chris DeHerrera,
President/CEO of the Utah Chapter of
the Associated Builders and Contractors
(ABC). “He has done much to elevate the
superiority of construction deliverables
not only in Utah and surrounding areas,
but nationwide as well. The ‘culture of
achievement’ embedded throughout Big-D
is a testament to his role as President, his
personal values and his vision for the well-
respected company he leads.”
Revenues from the past two years
illustrate how the firm is growing
nationally. According to UC&D’s 2015 Top
Utah General Contractors survey, Big-D
Construction reported total revenues of
$808 million ($472 million generated from
Utah-based offices) from 2014, which
ranked second in Utah and was a 20%
jump in revenues of $640 million ($409
million from Utah offices) from 2013. Moore
wouldn’t disclose 2015 revenues, but he
did say the firm is anticipating to hit the
almost mythical $1 billion mark this year,
which would place it among the nation’s
top 60-70 firms (according to ENR’s Top 400
Contractors list from 2015).
While the industrial/manufacturing
market remains a vital market and was Big-
D’s largest in 2014 (the firm reported 42%
of revenues came from that market)), other
top markets include civic/institutional
(19%), higher education (18%) and office
(8%). Moore said multi-family housing has
also been a strong market the past couple
of years in certain parts of the country and
expects that to continue. Big-D has also
gained traction with the LDS Church in
recent years and has built temples in Twin
Falls (ID), Ogden, and Brigham City, along
with a current one in Philadelphia (PA).
Key projects over the years include the
Swaner Eco Center (the first LEED Platinum
project in Utah), the Salt Lake Public
Library, the Natural History Museum of
Utah, the NSA Building, and the S.J. Quinney
College of Law at the University of Utah.
Big-D is also part of a joint-venture with
Atlanta-based Holder Construction Co. on
the $1.8 billion Salt Lake City International
Airport Terminal Redevelopment Program
(TRP) project.
“We don’t deserve anything – we have
to earn it,” Moore emphasized about
the firm’s current growth and success.
“We’re only a second generation company.
We make a promise and deliver on that
promise. Utah is unique – we are all
aggressive competitors. We’re tough to
beat…but we make each other better.”
Moore, who turns 63 in May, said he has
no thought on the ‘R’ word – it’s a topic
he simply can’t fathom and one he didn’t
want to comment on.
Cory offered this: “I think (retirement)
will be very gradual for him. I don’t think
it will be a line in the sand. Right now he’s
very involved in the day-to-day operations.
He’s just not a guy to sit around – he always
wants the ball.” n
Industry Legends
34 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
PeakPerformanceInnovation, teamwork allowed designers to tackle unique, once-in-a-lifetime challenges associated with building on a mountain top. By Tan Yang and Louis Ulrich | Photos by Dana Sohm
36 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
he Snowbird Summit
Lodge was a project
unlike any other. The
site is spectacular
– high atop Hidden
Peak, with stunning
360-degree views.
But the challenges
of building a 23,000
square foot building
on a remote, 11,000-
foot elevation site were as steep as the
mountain itself.
For instance, how do you haul building
materials to the top of an 11,000-foot
mountain peak—before the roads are
passable? What safety issues do you have
to address for it to withstand 130 mile per
hour winds and minimize rime ice? And how
do you site the building to accommodate
360-degree views but minimize down canyon
glare?
Designing the project on such a unique
site required real teamwork—and innovative
solutions. But with every vested party
so willing to make it happen, including
Snowbird Resort, the U.S. Forest Service,
GSBS, lu’na design group, and Layton
Construction, this collaborative effort paid
off beautifully.
Dick Bass (Snowbird founder and long-
time owner who passed away last July) and
Ted Johnson had always envisioned a lodge
at the top of the Snowbird tram. The Forest
Service did too—but it had to be accessible
to everyone, not just skiers and hikers. Over
a half dozen designs were explored over the
years before selecting the one that was built.
One of the first challenges presented
T Tang Yang Louis Ulrich
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 37
by the mountain top site was access. So
in an unusual twist, Snowbird became
one of the main subcontractors of its own
project, doing a lot of the earth moving
and excavation themselves. Furthermore,
because the site was only accessible by the
resort’s dirt roads, we had to design beam
lengths that would fit onto the Snowbird
articulating trucks—and be able to make the
sharp hairpin turns without the overhanging
ends hitting the mountainside. One season,
when construction materials were needed
on the site before the roads were passable,
helicopters were used to fly them in.
The Summit Lodge was designed to have
360-degree views from both floors.
Depending on which way you’re looking,
you can see Mineral Basin, the Twin Peaks,
Mount Baldy, the tram coming and going,
the resort and base buildings below, and the
Salt Lake Valley. Even the staircase offers
incredible views, thanks to the cantilevered
design.
However, floor-to-ceiling windows
presented their own challenges. First, they
increased the potential for rime ice, which
at this elevation, is a fact of life on metal
surfaces. So a structural glazed curtain wall
design was used to eliminate most of the
exterior metal mullions.
The glass also posed a possible reflection
and glare problem down canyon and
from hiking trails. Using GIS, Google Earth,
modeling software and numerous studies,
the building was sited with evidence of
minimized glare. Low-E glass with an anti-
reflective coating was also used to reduce
reflection.
The combination of glass and concrete
blends well with surrounding mountains of
Little Cottonwood Canyon. While the Forest
Service Built Environment Image Guides
(BEIG) typically might require a wood lodge
aesthetic on Forest Service land, the Summit
is high above the tree line and surrounded
by rocky peaks. Concrete foundations, along
with cementicious panels, make the building
neutral in color to harmonize with its rocky
surroundings, and to tie it to the original
buildings at the base. The cementicious
panels were chosen for their non-porous, >>
38 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
durable nature, plus their ability to blend
well with the concrete.
On the interior, a beautiful stained
maple wood adds warmth while keeping
Snowbird’s distinctive contemporary style,
and metal accent panels in the servery area
hark back to the canyon’s mining past.
The Summit lodge was designed to be an
upscale, cafeteria-style restaurant for skiers
and hikers, and to host private events and
weddings. The main floor dining area can
accommodate seating for 190. The second
floor serves as overflow on busy days for an
additional 180 seats, as well as a private event
area. The two spaces maintain a connection
with a glass wall that overlooks the main
dining area and out toward Mineral Basin.
Beautiful decks with concrete tables and
chairs serve as additional seating on bluebird
days, and provide more space for private
events. A unique snow melting system keeps
the deck ice-free during the winter.
The main kitchen is located on the
basement level with a separate elevator
and stairway for bringing up the food. This
opens up the serving area for large skier
crowds, and eliminates the loud, hustle
and bustle of the kitchen during private
events. Water is delivered via the resort’s
existing snowmaking system, with a large
purification and storage system housed on
the lower level.
Snowbird wanted to begin booking
the space for events as early as possible,
so GSBS created an interactive experience
that showed 360-degree virtual reality
renderings, giving prospective clients a
feel of the spectacular space, sites.
The collaboration by all parties
involved with The Summit Lodge resulted
in a spectacular building. And it advanced
the construction industry in Utah with the
many innovative solutions that came out
of it. n
Tang Yang is a licensed architect and
LEED AP for Salt Lake-based GSBS Architects.
He has managed complex projects for
educational institutions and private industry.
Yang graduated from the University of
Utah in 2002 with a Master of Architecture
and spent 7 years practicing in Boston. He
returned to Utah in 2009. His interest in
technology and its role in architecture has
allowed Yang to serve as IT/IS manager at
GSBS. He is also active in Utah AIA, having
served as treasurer in the past.
Louis Ulrich is the owner of lu’na design
studio of Salt Lake, a firm he joined in 2001
with his late wife Magda Jakovcev. Ulrich
is a graduate of the University of Utah
(1978) and worked for Salt Lake-based FFKR
Architects from ’78-’00. He has specialized
in higher education and recreational
projects throughout his lengthy career,
including the Cliff Lodge addition at
Snowbird in 1985.
The Summit Lodge was designed to have 360-degree views from both floors. Depending on which way you’re looking, you can see Mineral Basin, the Twin Peaks, Mount Baldy, the tram coming and going, the resort and base buildings below, and the Salt Lake Valley.
“
”
WE HAVE
THE POWER,
THE PEOPLE,
THE EXPERIENCE,
AND THE
TECHNOLOGY TO
BUILD ANY PROJECT,
ANY SIZE.
With 100 years of proven expertise, Cache Valley Electric has led the large-scale industrial construction
industry with mill upgrade and expansion, new mill construction, and maintenance-related projects
throughout the United States. Learn more at: cve.com
Corporate Office - Logan, UT
435.752.6405
Salt Lake City, UT
801.908.6666Additional offices located in Oregon, Texas and Arkansas
40 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
When the economic recession hit the U.S.
in 2008, many firms within Utah’s A/E/C
industry were buoyed by key projects at
university and college campuses across
the state, from Logan to St. George.
Some of the most influential people
in the Beehive State’s commercial
design industry – along with four owner
representatives – gathered January 28 at
Spectrum Engineers in Salt Lake City to
discuss industry trends and the general
relationship between A/E firms and
institutions of higher learning.
UC&D: How would you characterize
overall relationships your institution
has with Utah’s A/E industry? What are
the most positive aspects of the current
relationship?
Russell: It’s not exactly where
we’d like it to be. We’re trying to revamp
processes and procedures. We are looking
to go back and re-evaluate changes over
the past few years and see where that
takes us. We appreciate the relationships
we have; we feel like we have the best
(design) talent anywhere. Anytime we make
a selection we feel like there are three or
four firms that could do a good job.
Higgins: The quality of design is very
good in Utah. Over the years outside firms
are brought in sometimes but we prefer to
see local architects and engineers lead those
projects, and we bring in (outside) resources
where we need it. What’s really good about
the partnership we have with the local
design community – at least for the U – is
that we feel they are looking out for our best
interests. National firms may not have that
same outlook. On the negative side…we need
more opportunities to improve processes
in how we work together and improve the
response we get from design teams. There
are a lot of voices on the owner’s side that
can be hard to sort out.
Brockmyer: The talent in Utah is
fantastic. We’re looking forward to our
next project; not sure when that will be.
Michaelis: We don’t have a lot of
projects, and they are typically smaller
projects. But we appreciate the attention
we get from local firms. The attention
we get seems to be the same as (larger
schools).
Boogaard: We have a good relationship
with (Utah schools). We try to be familiar
with each of their standards…each facility
has things they like done differently…it
makes a big difference for owners.
McDonough-Jan: Many times the
relationships with DFCM and the institutions
are intrinsically linked, so we feel as designers
a need to understand the visions and
objectives the state has for these institutions.
Likewise, DFCM needs to understand the
needs of each institution. We have to
understand what the angle is of each project –
that is part of our responsibility.
Higher Education Remains a CriticallyImportant Market for Local A/E FirmsBy Brad Fullmer
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
Special thanks to our hosting partner and sponsor:
PARTICIPAnTS
Owners
Cory Higgins – Exec. Director of Facilities, Operations and Construction; University of Utah
Jim Russell – Assistant Director; DFCM
Richard Brockmyer – Facilities Director; Westminster College
Kirt Michaelis – V.P. of Administrative Service; MATC
Architects
Garth Shaw – Principal; GSBS Architects
Peggy McDonough-Jan – President; MHTN Architects
Joshua Greene – Principal; Method Studio
Derek Payne – Principal; VCBO Architecture
Kathy Wheadon – President; CRSA Architects
Engineers
Kim Harris – President/CEO; VBFA
Dorian Adams – President; Reaveley Engineers + Assoc.
Ron Dunn – Chairman; Dunn Assoc.
Dave Wesemann – President; Spectrum Engineers
Ryan Boogaard – Mechanical Principal; Spectrum Engineers
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 41
Dunn: As a consultant we’re
somewhat insulated from direct contact
with the owner and we’re fortunate to
see a lot of different ways how different
designers approach that. There seems
to be a history in this area where certain
institutions have a history with certain
architects and sometimes consultants
just flow along with those architects.
We’ll find ourselves on every team on
some projects, and on other teams on
other projects and it has very little to do
with our abilities on either one of those.
The consulting arena is very strong here.
I love the bar that is there with the state;
it brings out characteristics that we don’t
see when the bar isn’t there. It’s fun to
be able to create these monuments from
a structural engineering point of view,
but the opportunity to be heard could be
increased.
Harris: All of us on the design side,
we offer our expertise to owners and end-
users. In order to really take advantage
of that, there needs to be a level of trust
between us and the owners and users.
They need to trust that we have the ability
to design projects right and trust our
expertise. That trust needs to be going
both ways; without that trust our expertise
is of no value.
Payne: It really is our lifeblood
(relationships). That relationship really
changes from institution to institution. I
see the evolution of DFCM changing with
institutions. In the past (DFCM) was maybe
a little more design focused...now their
strength is in scheduling and budgeting
and I think institutions appreciate that
assistance.
Wheadon: We’re thrilled that we
have a broad range of institutions in which
to ply our craft. We have appreciated the
openness we’ve found even in just the last
two years with project managers at DFCM
who are willing to help us and understand
the value of our teams. We want to be
as innovative as possible and we want
to learn what this valley needs. We’re
thankful to have good people to work with
and who know that a building needs to
last 50 years. People are willing to push the
envelope here.
Adams: It really does come down to
relationships and trust. DFCM has been a
lot more open the last few years and we
appreciate that. The relationships with our
architectural friends and each university,
and also the state…it’s refreshing to
see them open up and provide more
opportunities for feedback and for
collaboration. We are very appreciative
of all the opportunities that are given
through the state, universities, and other
public campuses. We hope we can deliver
the high expertise that each project is
required to have.
Shaw: The diversity of (higher
education) work is really exciting. Many
of our neatest and big dollar projects –
ones that get our employees excited – are
higher education and DFCM projects. It is
interesting the variability you get between
different institutions; that illustrates
the value of DFCM and having (positive)
relationships. My dad is a facilities
(manager) in Wyoming and there is no
DFCM equivalent to provide guidance and
consistency. It shows the value of how
projects are delivered in Utah and how
(DFCM) helps institutions get a better
project.
Wesemann: It takes quite a bit of
time to build up and develop relationships.
There are so many institutions, both public
and private, and it takes awhile to learn the
different standards and create that trust
and confidence in us. We try to create value,
not just during a particular project but
an ongoing value. I appreciate how DFCM
reached out to the industry and got input >>
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
From Left to Right: Ryan Boogaard, Ron Dunn, Kirt Michaelis, Kim Harris, Jim Russell, Derek Payne, Cory Higgins, Joshua Greene, Peggy McDonough-Jan, Dave Wesemann, Kathy Wheadon, Garth Shaw, Richard Brockmyer, and Dorian Adams.
42 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
on standards and the fee schedule – that did
a lot to build the relationships with DFCM.
We were recently involved with reviewing
the University of Utah standards. One of
the things we like to do on an ongoing basis
is help (institutions) review and update
their standards. The ongoing continual
relationship is something we all value.
Higgins: We are a sophisticated
client. We have our own engineers, our
own operations people…we have a lot of
different people who have to live with
these buildings after they are built. With
the new technologies that come out,
sometimes they don’t always work as
envisioned. Having design firms stick
with us during that first year to get things
to work is very important with us. The
commissioning process isn’t working yet
– we have to find better ways to get the
design community and the owners to stick
with the building until it works the way we
need it to work, so that we can operate it
for 50 years after it’s built.
Shaw: There is also a need for design
teams to work with contractors so that
(owners) don’t ever see the problems. There
are so many variables…if we can work with
the commissioning agent and try to get
systems operating correctly from the start
it’s better for everyone.
Harris: That’s where collaboration
should start – up front from the very
beginning of a project.
Brockmyer: We want to be more
involved all through a project. Don’t
assume that we don’t want to know or that
it’s too complicated for us to understand.
Higgins: We’re going to have to
understand it at some level, at some point.
The sooner we do understand that – early
in the design process – it makes the whole
process run better. It also means that when
we do have problems that we all work
together to make adjustments to ensure it
works.
UC&D: How much of a firm’s
relationship with a higher education
client is because of a specific individual or
two within that firm? How many people
from your firm are dedicated to higher
education exclusively or part-time?
Wesemann: We went through an
evolution regarding this. Many years ago
we would have an engineer do a higher
education project with an architect he had
a relationship with. One engineer would
do a project (at an institution) and then
when the next project would roll around
a different architect would get the project
with a different engineer. The institution got
frustrated because they had to re-train every
new individual. In some cases it takes years
to understand campus standards, campus
utilities – and sometimes that information
isn’t shared between individuals. We
refocused our efforts in getting individuals
focused on campuses and institutions so
they could learn the standards. We have
three to four principals who are focused
primarily on higher education and 11 to 12
others on a part-time basis. One individual
can’t serve all the institutions from north to
south…there is too much to learn.
Russell: There are specific firms that
focus on particular campuses; in general
firms try and keep the same people
consistent with those campuses. Some
firms excel with a certain type of facility.
It’s usually the same players in higher
education…firms try and keep as much
continuity as they can.
Higgins: Seeing the same people is
good, but on the other hand we’re looking
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 43
for people who can design a solution for a
particular problem or who have that skill
to solve those problems.
Shaw: Most of the continuity with
higher education projects comes at the
principal level. When you get down to
a project manager or project architect
level, that’s where you really need to
differentiate.
Adams: We have a relationship-based
approach – we have specific people in
our firm to manage relationships with
each institution. As these relationships
develop they learn standards, they learn
what the institutions are like and they can
pass information on to people working on
those projects – usually at the principal
level. There are others in the firm that
have specialized expertise for a specific
project. If we can show that we have a
specific knowledge of an institution and
their projects, it increases our chances of
getting work.
Wheadon: It takes a significant time
commitment to develop relationships
long-term – really a lifetime with some
institutions. We have a good-sized
dedicated team to higher education, but of
course we want to make sure to bring the
right people to the table.
Harris: We have principals that are
dedicated to certain institutions but
you also have to bring the expertise to
certain projects. We have multiple offices,
so our principal in Logan, for example,
he understands (Utah State University’s)
requirements while our principal in St.
George takes care of the institutions in
Cedar City and St. George. It provides us
more flexibility. At the same time, that
principal may not have expertise in a
certain area – like a lab project – so we
bring in others who have that expertise.
Dunn: The common thread is
relationships. We don’t assign different
engineers to different clients in the
region – we’re more expertise-based.
Our expertise stays in certain types of
projects whether it be recreational or
medical or laboratory. We obviously have
relationships with the institution but
we prefer to put the right individual on
a project. Because we’re client-based, it
works to our advantage. Sometimes seeing
the same people all the time, you get the
same answer and you might be missing
opportunities.
McDonough-Jan: Specifically, we
have five principals that work in higher
education, though not exclusively. Their
diverse perspective allows each of these
principals to build positive relationships.
Universities today are looking at other
sectors of business, too, because their
students are going out into the world and
they are creating environments those
students may encounter. It requires us to
bring that diverse perspective.
Boogaard: We have our core group
that focuses primarily on higher education,
but we have, for example, a multi-family
center, a healthcare center…so when
projects come up that merge those
disciplines we can bring those groups
together for a better outside perspective.
Michaelis: We lack a lot of the
expertise of a larger institution so our
process relies heavily on DFCM and Jim and
his partners. They are the experts as we
see it.
Russell: There’s a lot of
communication between the (eight)
different UCAT campuses in regards to
what is going on. The experience they have
developed, that input gets passed along to
the other campuses.
Higgins: I want to praise DFCM over
the past several years; the partnership
approach they have taken to work with
a smaller institution like a UCAT or a
larger, more sophisticated agency like the
University of Utah…it’s no longer a one-size-
fits-all scenario. They compliment what we
need, they compliment what UCAT needs;
it’s what makes the system work well.
UC&D: How are design firms selected
for projects primarily?
Higgins: On smaller projects with
design fees that are less than $100,000 we
don’t have to go through an advertised
RFP selection process. In those cases,
relationships with an (owner’s) project
manager are more likely to influence who
is selected. That works well because you >>
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
44 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
can go to (an architect) quickly because
they are less complex projects. (Selection)
is not always based on the architects.
The specialty disciplines, whether it’s
mechanical or structural or landscape
(design) or other (disciplines)…those firms
would benefit from learning some of the
project relationship skills that architects
have, so that on these smaller projects we
can get the same level of service from a
specialty (designer). On bigger projects we
are looking for a multi-discipline team. We
have to select (firms) as a team, but there
are many times in the middle of those
selections where we say ‘I wish we could
pick that sub-consultant, that prime…but
we don’t want to select individuals because
we want the prime to know they can work
with the sub-consultants they have brought
in on their teams, but as an owner we
want to feel just as comfortable with the
mechanical, electrical, and structural firms,
and that they have the (same) competency
for the project as the architect.
Brockmyer: Usually a sub-committee
with our board of directors will solicit
proposals…maybe there are ten proposals
and then they’ll narrow it down to three
or four. A committee of board members
and faculty/staff will go through those
proposals, offer input and score firms. There
are certain weights on different questions.
Russell: We look at the team makeup
and the relationships that have been
built over the years, and maybe the direct
relationship firms have with a specific
campus. A lot of times we look at teams
and a lot of time the decision is made
because of the skill and expertise of the
architect, but sometimes more on the sub-
consultants and who can bring the right
skill set. It’s not as much the relationship
(a firm has) with a campus but the type
of building that is being proposed. On
certain projects – a historical building,
a laboratory – maybe the consultants’
experience weighs more.
Higgins: Sometimes we have picked
teams based on the consultants, but
we want the prime architect to manage
those relationships. A/E firms are selected
by qualifications and then we try and
negotiate an acceptable fee. There are
different construction methodologies.
I like the fact that (DFCM) gives us as
many options as they do. On value-based
projects firms are selected on competence
of the contractor with a portion of that
scoring being the cost to do the work.
30% is based on cost; 70% is based on
experience.
UC&D: How well are owners and
designers really ‘collaborating’ on projects
now that we’re 15 years into the 21st
Century? What can and should be done to
improve the collaboration/design process?
Wesemann: In this century a lot of
(collaboration) is done less face-to-face and
more electronically, which is good. I like
face-to-face and page-turn meetings with
the important people at the table. It forces
everybody who has a stake in the project to
be present so we can get their comments.
Sometimes we get design review comments
during the final walk-through punch list; we’d
like to get those during the design meetings.
At an institution like the U of U, for example,
there are so many different parties that
have a stake in the project and sometimes
they are competing interests. Sometimes
an architect or an engineer needs to juggle
those interests and find the right way to
keep everybody happy. I think the best thing
is to make sure everybody who has a say in
the project, whether it’s the maintenance
crew or users of the building, to get their way
and to have maybe more of an acceptance
and sign-off period along the way. That’s the
process we always try to do.
Russell: Our dialogue and
collaboration has really improved over
the past few years. As far as it relates
to projects, it’s still something we need
to work on and work together. We’ve
made some improvements on the
preconstruction phase. That is the time
when we have the greatest ability to affect
the outcome of a project’s schedule, cost,
quality and change-orders. We’ve been
working together on ways to improve
that. We’ve talked about design-build and
having a consultant for that, and bringing
in a contractor on design-bid-build to
review things. We really have to design
what is expected of everybody. We have to
set expectations for the owner/end-user,
the contractor, the architect, the sub-
consultants. We need sub-consultant work
to be done sooner in the process and not
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 45
waiting until the CE’s to drop everything
on paper. We’ve got to improve that
process overall because CM/GC ‘should’
provide the best overall value, and we’re
saying design-bid-build is the best value.
We’ve got to improve the CM/GC process
to make it the best value and how we work
together.
Higgins: We appreciate when the
design teams understand what we’re
trying to get out of the project and
facilitate the discussions that have to
occur on all levels. There are so many
perspectives coming from the owner’s side,
it’s hard to get us all speaking with one
voice.
Shaw: The need for (collaboration)
is as great as ever. When people make
decisions on certain systems or design
solutions, that there is collaboration and
education, so that the owner is aware of
what they just made a decision about. That
level of collaboration is very important.
Adams: A lot of times as a consultant
we’re not in direct contact with the owners,
so a lot of the information comes second
hand. For our firm, we try hard to understand
the why behind the architectural design so
we can deliver the vision the owner has. A lot
of times we don’t really get that. It’s our >>
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
46 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
responsibility to ask the right questions so
the important parts of the project, the owner
actually understands. With the advances
in Building Information Modeling, the need
for collaboration is so critical earlier in the
project.
Brockmyer: I would like to see more
progress in the sustainability of buildings.
Maybe architects and engineers could take
more time to explain what the payback
might be if you did things in a more
sustainable way, rather than, it’s just too
much money.
Greene: I have enjoyed the evolution
of projects and how collaboration
continues to improve. There is an
understandable fear of involving the
end user sometimes through the process
because their wish lists are long and they
don’t necessarily have the big vision.
The success of meeting with those end
user groups often and collaborating with
them is important. So being creative and
guiding the process so wish lists don’t get
out of control is something we continue
to work on. I’m working on a project now
where we’re trying our best to collaborate
with the entire end user group. It’s a
complex user group with lots of different
facets and industries. Some of these end
user groups are fictitious and don’t even
exist yet. Often the project borders on
chaos and getting out of control in a fun
and productive way. But the visionary
leadership of the executive committee on
this project is really good about bringing
everybody back together and saying ‘this
is the long-term vision…let’s not lose sight
of it’. Collaboration is great as long as you
have a guided vision of everyone.
Wheadon: You have the owner/
building user, the commissioning agent,
energy modeler, sustainability consultant…
who is watching the long-term cost for
projects? For us, we’ve worked hard to help
(owners) from the very beginning understand
what the product needs to be when it comes
to not just process but how a commissioning
agent can help benefit the facility. It’s a
really complex world out there and the goal
for us is to make sure we’re all moving in
the same direction. We’re always trying to
connect back to that central point so we all
understand what success looks like.
Payne: It’s interesting what Joshua
Greene said about designing for a fictitious
department…I think that’s going to be
the evolving nature of our business as
architects because the nature of higher
education is really changing. We worked
on a project with Richard called the
Westminster Center for Innovation and
Creativity and I still don’t know what it was
about. We were talking about programs 20
years into the future and we’re trying to
design project spaces and white studios…
we just don’t know how (technology) will
evolve. And every institution is sort of
rethinking their product delivery because
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 47
they’re going to have to come up with ways
of…’how do we get our product out there
without having to build gigantic buildings
for every one of our departments. That’s the
challenge that is going to face everyone at
this table over the next 20 years.
Harris: The good things (about
collaboration) are tools and technology and
things that are at our disposal to help us in
this process. As I look back at my career, I
think about the amount of information that
we put into our design and our drawings
today versus when I started 40 years ago. It
is unbelievable. Those tools are great and
they help us tremendously. When I think
of the bad I think sometimes of time and
money and sometimes…the compressed
schedules…it’s all about the money. We’ve
got to build it faster, so we have less
and less time to do collaboration and
coordination. That’s the downside. We’ve all
been involved in jobs that have gone great,
and we’ve all been involved in jobs that
have gone south. As designers and owners
we need to be more realistic about these
schedules. We don’t want to be naysayers;
we want to make sure our clients our
happy. As designers we sometimes get in a
pickle where we’re afraid to say no. We’ve
been able to speed things up so much that
sometimes we think we can do anything.
Dunn: We all agree that a project is
successful through (design documents)...
that’s where architects make their profit,
that’s where consultants make our
profit. If you’re not making your profit
through DD’s then you have the wrong
people on it. (Construction documents)
should be implementing everything you
have investigated during design. The
collaboration up front really needs to occur
because we don’t have the time to do it
over again. It’s impossible to get everyone
around (to meet) all the time. We need to
realize that everything should happen
through the DD phase. When we’re thinking
about the project during the CD phase, it
just causes problems. We need to put the
right people up front and just finish the job.
McDonough-Jan: When you’re
collaborating with so many entities and
even more today as teams are bigger
with specialists –actually it’s a good
thing because it’s more inclusive...so the
challenge is how do you communicate
to a consensus. Even if it’s the architect
leading the consensus, or a dean or facilities
manager…whoever those leaders are need
to lead that consensus. Once you’ve reach
a consensus, reaching back and reminding
the future occupants, the end users, is
sometimes chaotic. We engage them in the
beginning. We want them to tell us what
their needs, wants and hopes are. We are
designing to a very aspirational kind of
thing. So when all the decisions get made
and we look back at how those decisions
were made – that’s an area we can all do
better in. n
> Higher Education Design Roundtable
48 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
In recent years the EPA has gradually been
imposing more stringent rules on the
Portland Cement Manufacturing Industry
– including the most recent amendment,
which was signed last July and went into
effect in September – to the National
Emission Standards for Hazardous Air
Pollutants (NESHAP).
Despite those challenges, business has
been steady for the Beehive State’s two
cement producing plants – the Devil’s Slide
Plant in Morgan, owned by U.S. Cement,
LafargeHolcim, and Ash Grove Cement Co.’s
plant in Leamington.
While firms wouldn’t disclose actual
revenues or production supply numbers,
it’s evident that Utah’s rising economy,
pro-business government and top-flight
transportation system are all positive
contributors for the two plants, with slight
growth estimates expected through ’17.
“While we continue to see consumption
growth in the intermountain region driven
across most all construction segments
(with the exception of the energy sector),
we have yet to hit true supply demand
balance,” said John Stull, CEO of U.S. Cement,
LafargeHolcim. “The forecast going forward
shows approximately 5% growth rates for
the next couple of years, which should bring
supply demand into balance by ‘17-’18. All
demographic indicators show once again
that Utah and the intermountain west
continue to be an in-migration area, given
a continued low unemployment rate and
favorable economic conditions, we could
see balance earlier than predicted.”
Stull said production levels nationwide
for his firm were essentially flat from ’14 to
’15, but sees a growing demand for cement,
albeit at a modest rate.
“For 2016 we see some positive signs
and are expecting further increases in
plant production. We see a slow, but steady
increase in demand and production from
our network of plants. Post-merger (Lafarge
and Holcim merged July 10, 2015 and
produce nearly 370 million tons of cement
annually), we are working to optimize our
vast plant and distribution network to
deliver quality and consistent products to
our customers.”
Ron Smith, Plant Manager for Ash
Grove’s 92-employee Leamington plant
since October 2010, said business has been
brisk and the outlook positive for the plant
in general.
“We’ve seen the economy turn
around,” said Smith, “so our forecast for
shipments has continued to increase the
five years I’ve been here. We’re getting to
the point where our plant has to run well
just to meet demands.” In addition to Utah,
the plant ships cement primarily to Las
Vegas and Elko, Nev., and Western Colorado.
Smith said Ash Grove has spent
significant money upgrading all of its nine
U.S. plants, but agrees with the ultimate
goal of less CO2/greenhouse gas emissions
is a good thing for everyone.
“We all want cleaner air,” said Smith.
“The EPA has always had rules on how to
operate. Overall, the company has spent
hundreds of millions of dollars (in plant
Holcim, Ashgrove Have Invested Millions in Local Plant Upgrades
Utah’s only two cement producers are thriving with construction activity growing within the state and the Intermountain region.
By Brad Fullmer
> Utah Cement Industry
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 49
improvements),” said Smith, locally on items
such as a bag house replacement, selective
non-catalytic reduction equipment
(designed to control noxious emissions), and
continuous emissions monitoring systems –
all state-of-the-art and critical to long-term
success.
Stull said the Devil’s Slide plant –
which was modernized in 1996 – has
also invested significant funds in
upgrades the past five years, including
multiple optimization projects for
improved thermal and electrical energy
consumption. In addition, the company has
invested in alternative fuels systems at the
plant to process and burn various types of
non-hazardous waste.
“The entire industry is expected to
achieve emission levels set by the top
performers from across the United States,”
said Stull. “Our collective performance,
including our performance in Utah, is
now at levels better than the top 12% of
the industry’s performance (the basis of
the new regulations issued a few years
ago). We (LafargeHolcim) are proud of the
pollution reduction investments made in
Utah and across the U.S. as these actions
are in line with our values and those of our
communities. Although we do not have
precise data, there has likely been $100’s
of millions spent by the industry to install
pollution controls as required by the new
regulations.”
Another trend in response to tighter
EPA rules is the closing of older cement
plants with outdated technology.
“From a national perspective, we
have witnessed the shuttering of some
manufacturing facilities using older
technologies or those unable to afford the
costs associated with the new pollution
controls,” said Stull. “Upon completion
of demonstrating compliance with the
latest regulations, we are looking to
the future both regionally and locally.
Working with our communities and our
research centers, we are continuously
seeking sustainable solutions to improve
our environmental performance, reduce
our emissions of climate-change gases,
lower our consumption of water and
improve the biodiversity of the lands
that we manage. We believe addressing
these priorities in advance of additional
regulation gives us a sustainable
future and sets the bar for others in the
industry.” n
> Utah Cement Industry
“We’ve seen the economy turn around…our forecast
for shipments has continued to increase the five years
I’ve been here. We’re getting to the point where our plant has to run well just to meet
demands.” – Ron Smith
50 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Colvin Engineering’s reputation as
one of Utah’s foremost mechanical
engineering experts – and a firm
willing to push the envelope on cutting-
edge energy efficient design – was partly
born out of founder Tom Colvin’s hard
knock experiences growing up on a farm in
rural Nebraska.
The firm’s celebration of its 30th
anniversary February 14, 2016, is notable
in that it marks the first milestone year in
its history since Colvin retired and handed
the reigns over to three owners/partners
– President Steve Connor, Vice President
Roger Hamlet and Vice President Bret
Christiansen.
Colvin, 67, officially sold the business
September 1, 2012, but still serves as a
Senior Consultant and works on a handful
of projects over the course of the year
when he’s in town. He is totally content
sitting back and watching the continuing
success of the firm and the smoothness of
the leadership transition.
He admits it’s been a long journey
from the corn and alfalfa fields in a town
with a population of 500 outside North
Platte. The one constant between the farm
and the engineering office is that both
require a person to abandon the concept of
working ‘banker’s hours’.
“Hard work…it’s not related to a
certain amount of hours per day – if there
is a job to be done, you work until you’re
done,” said Colvin. “If it means longer
hours, that’s what you do. I was used to
time deadlines related to weather. You
have an urgency to get things done.”
Colvin also learned at a young age the
value of constructability and was piqued
by how things were assembled – a by-
product of continually fixing a piece of farm
machinery or equipment that seemed to
break down far too often for his tastes. It
made him ponder a career in engineering.
“I was going to design better farm
machinery because it broke every day
and I had to fix it,” he said. “That gave me
an interest in thinking that you can build
something better.”
“Tom had a practical knack for design
– growing up on a farm had something
to do with that,” said Connor, a 25-year
veteran of Colvin Engineering and its
current President. “He has a strong grasp
of engineering principles. His combination
of creativity and practicality was how he
most influenced me.”
Hamlet echoed Connor regarding
Colvin’s innovative approach to projects.
“Tom was an upstanding, good guy…I
liked the kinds of engineering they did,”
said Hamlet, a ’91 graduate who joined the
firm in March ’98 after seven years doing
industrial plants and research facilities for a
Swiss consulting engineering firm in Basel,
Switzerland and Boulder, Colorado. “Every
project we would engineer as a one-of-a-kind
project. It would require a lot of thinking.”
Bright Days Ahead for Colvin Mechanical engineering firm noted for its cutting edge designs and focus on environmental efficiency.
By Brad Fullmer
From left to right: Bret Christiansen, Stephen Connor, Tom Colvin, and Roger Hamlet. Colvin recently handed the reigns over to these three owners/partners as the firm celebrates 30 years.
Colvin Engineering 30th Anniversary
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 51
The Long, Winding RoadColvin worked on his grandfather’s
farm in summers during high school and
college, and it’s a profession he has a deep
appreciation for, but one he ultimately felt
was too risky and, frankly, unpredictable.
“The only reason I didn’t go into
farming was it was so much of a gamble,”
said Colvin, who has a younger brother
who still runs a farm outside North Platte
about a mile from where they grew up.
“You have a lot of money on the line all the
time. If the weather is bad, or the price of
corn goes down or the cost of beef goes
down, you lost. There are a lot of factors
beyond your control.
“It’s a hard life,” he continued. “You
don’t have a lot of control of time – you
can’t just take off, unless it’s the middle of
winter. During the growing season there is
always something to do.”
Colvin ultimately earned a Bachelor
of Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Nebraska in 1970 and spent
two years as an industrial engineer with
Dow Chemical Corp. in Denver, before
moving into consulting engineering with
BHCD Engineers in 1972. He was made a
Principal and Design Division Manager
by ’76 and moved to Salt Lake to run
a branch office from ’83 to ’86. As the
company stumbled during rough economic
conditions in Denver, his three partners
in Denver wanted him to move back and
assume the role as President.
“I didn’t want to move again, and
I liked Salt Lake better than Denver; I
decided to stay here. I resigned and started
Colvin in February ’86,” Colvin said. “I knew
that if I didn’t make it, it was nobody else’s
fault, and I wouldn’t be dragged down by
people I only saw once a month.”
Connor grew up in Maryland in a
Washington, D.C. suburb and earned a
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at
Bucknell (Penn.) University in ’84, where he
also played basketball as a 6’ 11” center.
“I really enjoyed it, had a great time.
A lot of (former teammates) are still my
closest friends. But I knew that my future
was not basketball, it was engineering.”
Connor moved to Utah to work for
Hercules, mainly because he said it was his
only job offer at the time, and he couldn’t
fathom moving back in with his parents until
an opportunity closer to home came about. >>
The UVU Student Life Center and S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah showcase some of Colvin’s higher education work.
Colvin Engineering 30th Anniversary
52 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
“It was unheard of…it wasn’t part of
my reality,” he laughed. Connor worked at
Hercules from ’84 to ’91 – met Colvin in ’91
on a field trip of One Utah Center through a
University of Utah HVAC design course and
the two bonded over a shared interest in
energy efficiency.
“Just the fact he and I were in the same
field trip showed me he was interested in
energy,” said Colvin. “That made him more
attractive to hire. Steve has the ability to
look at the big picture and look for the
positive things of what the project has
going on. It helps him not get bogged down
by the finger pointing that happens in
the industry. He’s about finding solutions
and has a strong ability to bring people
together.”
“One of Tom’s hallmarks is creativity,”
said Connor. “He is always trying to figure
out a way to do it better. Just because it
worked the last time doesn’t mean we
shouldn’t try and do it better. What is the
best, most cost-effective solution for the
owner, and what is the simplest way to
communicate that to the contractor so
they can actually build it.”
Forward ThinkingColvin and Connor’s interest in
sustainability and energy efficiency – as
well as the shared passion of Hamlet and
Christiansen – are evident in the types
of projects the firm designs. It includes
everything from state-of-the-art K-12
schools and higher education facilities to
high-end office and municipal complexes,
high-tech data centers, and a host of other
commercial and industrial projects.
Connor was the first engineer in Utah
in 2001 to become a LEED Accredited
Professional (AP) – he was in a group of
8 people who took the test; the other 7
were architects. He appreciates what
LEED brings to the table, even if it is
sometimes looked at as little more than a
costly added expense by owners in certain
markets. He believes that it’s ‘peaked’ in
some respects, now that owners have a
much better grasp of sustainable design
and construction.
“(LEED) has always been complicated,
but it’s always been a badge of honor,”
Connor said. “It was the first (sustainable)
program accepted and adopted by the
industry. You knew if a project was LEED
Gold or Platinum, (the team) went through
a procedure. There is still value in that. I’m
just seeing the client saying ‘I don’t need
that badge’.”
Connor said currently the majority of
projects that aim for LEED certification
are public facilities – as much as an 80-20
percentage vs. privately funded projects.
Beyond LEED is Net Zero, the ‘next
step’ towards greater sustainability from
the built environment.
The firm was the mechanical engineer
on the Salt Lake Public Safety Building
(UC&D’s 2013 ‘Project of the Year’) – a LEED
Platinum project that was designed with
Net Zero in mind, the first such public
safety building in the nation to pursue
such an ambitious rating.
Connor sees Net Zero in a mostly
positive light, but is quick to caution that
it can be difficult to define and achieve
results where the end result is indeed a
building that produces as much energy as
it consumes.
“When you look at driving it to zero
some weird things happen,” he said.
“It becomes complicated and it’s much
more difficult to define the terms and
define success than it was when success
was defined as LEED Silver. It wasn’t
just about energy efficiency, but indoor
environmental quality – low VOC paints
and adhesives. That is why LEED was so
transformative. The entire design and
construction industry thinks differently
because of LEED. I’m not discounting its
continued value, but the curve was steep
Colvin Engineering 30th Anniversary
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 53
and now we’ve kind of flattened out.”
“I think (LEED) was a good thing for
the country in terms of having a program
that gave incentive to building owners to
build a better building,” added Colvin. “It’s
not that we don’t know how (to be energy
efficient), it’s how you do it cost-effectively.
LEED also increased market demand for
renewable energy sources. There was a
greater need for a larger market for solar
panels and other types of (renewable)
products.
“The other program that is somewhat
underrated or gets less (publicity) is the
Energy Star program,” Colvin continued. “I
think it’s a better gauge of how a building
actually operates. LEED is based more
on modeling and what a building will do;
Energy Star is based on what you actually
use. Energy Star is more effective and a
simpler program.
Optimistic OutlookWith Utah’s economy flourishing and
work in the A/E/C industry seemingly as
busy as ever, Colvin Engineering’s leaders
have a positive outlook for the firm’s future
and its place in the Utah market. Work
appears to be plentiful, for the immediate
future at least.
The firm has yet to disclose revenues
for UC&D’s annual ‘Top Utah Engineering
Firms’ rankings, but based on the type and
size and projects it designs, it is easy to
assume Colvin would rank among the top
three mechanical engineering firms with
headquarters in the Beehive State.
“At the moment it’s going fine,” said
Hamlet. “I’m glad to see more private
money floating around out there. We don’t
feel like we’ve got as good a line as we did
in the late 90’s and early 2000’s…nowadays
it seems like a six-month preview is about
what we can get a confident feel for.”
“We had a great year in 2015 and
we anticipate 2016 will be similar,” said
Christiansen, who joined Colvin in 2002 so
he could work on bigger, more challenging
projects. “We have a great outlook for the
future years and we’ll continue to chase
notable projects along the Wasatch Front.”
“We’re pretty optimistic,” added
Connor. “Utah has always been – I always
use this expression – the parties aren’t
as good, the hangovers aren’t as bad. We
don’t crash as hard; we don’t have the
great boom. With Salt Lake and Utah’s
vibrant economy, I think all of us design
professionals are going to do well. I see a
lot of growth occurring.”
One key issue in the entire equation
– he cautioned – is Utah’s air quality
problems.
“Of all the little, nagging issues we
have here, air quality is a showstopper,”
said Connor. “We as (A/E/C) professionals
– the entire design and construction
community – we have a role to play in
the increased efficiency and reduced
(carbon) output in buildings. The biggest
single issue is tailpipes – we won’t solve
(air quality problem) until we stop burning
gasoline in our cars. Buildings…are one
part of the solution. The silver bullet is
transportation.” n
Colvin Engineering 30th Anniversary
54 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Another positive indicator of the current
robust nature of Utah’s construction
industry was evident during the 94th
annual convention for the Associated
General Contractors (AGC) of Utah January
21-23 at Little America, with a record
number of people attending various events
and activities during the three-day event.
Dave Hogan, President of Ogden-
based Wadman Corporation, was installed
as the chapter’s 2016 Chairman at the
Installation Banquet on January 23. Hogan
was passed the gavel by 2015 Chairman
Jeff Clyde, President of Springville-based
W.W. Clyde & Co. and expressed gratitude
to Clyde and other industry leaders at the
opportunity to serve the approximately
500-member chapter.
“Jeff has been an important person
in this industry; it was important for me
to see his leadership and integrity in our
industry,” said Hogan. “Our (chapter)
leaders are conscious to share knowledge
and be stewards of our industry.”
Hogan also thanked Dave Wadman
for his influence in helping a young, raw
construction worker ascend the company
ladder and eventually take over as
President.
“My father was killed in an accident in
1985 when I was 17, and I was fortunate to
(eventually) be grafted into the Wadman
Corporation olive branch,” said Hogan,
who started working in the industry as a
teenager and was ultimately introduced
to Dave Wadman by a mutual friend. By
1997, Hogan was working as an estimator
and project manager for Wadman and kept
progressing within the firm, ultimately
serving as an estimator, V.P. of Business
Development, and V.P. of Operations before
being named President in April 2007.
“None of it would be possible without
the influence of Dave Wadman,” said
Hogan. “I feel indebted to the (Wadman
family). I look at the list of people who
have served as Chairman, including V.J.
Wadman (founder of Wadman Corporation
who passed away in January 2013)…it’s a
‘who’s who’ of the construction industry.
It’s got me to reflect on how a carpenter
and concrete finisher ends up in a tuxedo
before you tonight.”
Hogan also praised the workers in the
field, the people who pour their heart and
soul into working hard every day to build
quality projects.
“The warriors of construction are the
supers; I want to make sure that during
my leadership that I remember those
people and the sacrifices they make,” he
said. Hogan said he was optimistic Utah’s
economy will remain good this year, and
emphasized a real need to attract new
workers to the industry, while continuing
to improve safety programs across the
board.
“Our workforce is aging…workforce
development needs to be a top priority
for all of our companies. We need to show
young people how good our industry is,”
he said. “We also need to be creating safe
cultures within our companies through
training. We also need to be involved in
Wadman’s Dave Hogan Installed as 2016 Chair of AGC of Utah
Annual event produces record number of attendees over three days; Big-D’s Moore presented with Ryberg Award for service to the industry.
2016 AGC of Utah Convention
Jeff Clyde, President of Springville Based W.W. Clyde & Co. passes the gavel to 2016 Chairman Dave Hogan of Wadman Corporation at the 94th annual convention for the Associated General Contractors of Utah.
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 55
the political process and band together as
an association to make sure our voices are
heard.”
The other main highlight of the
Installation Banquet was having the Eric
W. Ryberg award – the chapter’s de facto
‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ – presented
to Big-D President Rob Moore, who has
been with Big-D for more than 40 years and
who is one of the main people responsible
for growing the company from a small,
Ogden-based firm to one that now has
9 offices nationwide and employs 1,000
people.
“This is an incredible honor,” said
Moore, who was recruited to the firm by
Big-D founder Dee Livingood in January
1976 as a young, brash 22-year old kid.
“It’s been so fun to serve with AGC
members over the years and be a part
of the community, and part of this great
industry. It’s an incredible business to be
in. Utah is full of people who say ‘we can
make this happen’. People ask me why
Utah is different and why there are so
many entrepreneurs in the marketplace.
It’s simple; it’s our culture. It’s having
an attitude of never, ever giving up. The
opportunities are in front of us to push on.
Many of us may be gray on the chin, but we
still have a lot to offer.”
Moore continued, “I want to thank
my competition – we have incredible
competition in this industry. Because of
the competition we have in Utah, we’re all
better. Even though it’s been 40 years, I’m
damn sure not done.”
AGC President/CEO Rich Thorn said he
was ecstatic at the turnout and response
over the three-day convention, and
maintained that the AGC is in good hands
with its future leaders.
“Dave Hogan’s acceptance remarks set
a tone of optimism for Utah’s contractors
for the coming year,” said Thorn. “He along
with Mike Kurz (Western Region V.P. for
Ogden-based Staker Parson Companies
and incoming Vice Chair) bring instant
recognition and credibility to our chapter.
Utah’s construction industry has a bright
future with the next generation of leaders
who are stepping forward, accepting the
call the serve, and taking on issues both
large and small in an effort to take our
industry into the future.”
Other highlights of the convention
included the annual AGC Awards
presentation, along with an Economic
Outlook presentation (both held January
21) by AGC of America Chief Economist Ken
Simonson, who said Utah remains one of
the hottest construction markets in the
country. >>
“Our workforce is aging…workforce development
needs to be a top priority for all of our companies. We need to show young
people how good our industry is.” – Dave Hogan
2016 AGC of Utah Convention
56 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Building/Industrial Projects of the Year
CULTURAL (UnDER $10 MILLIOn)
Tracy Aviary Treasure of the Rainforest
Owner: Friends of Tracy Aviary
GC: Sirq Construction
CULTURAL (OVER $10 MILLIOn)
Uintah County Conference Center
Owner: Uintah County
GC: Layton Construction
GOVERnMEnT/PUBLIC BUILDInG
PROJECT OF THE YEAROgden 2nd District Juvenile Courthouse
GC: Jacobsen Construction
GREEn BUILDInG
S.J. Quinney College of Law
Owner: DFCM
GC: Big-D Construction
HEALTHCARE PROJECT
OF THE YEAR (PRIVATE)Budge Clinic Remodel @
Logan Regional Hospital
Owner: Intermountain Healthcare
GC: Jacobsen Construction Company, Inc.
HEALTHCARE BUILDInG PROJECT
OF THE YEAR (PUBLIC)
Ray & Tye noorda Oral
Health Sciences Building
Owner: DFCM
GC: Okland Construction
HIGHER EDUCATIOn/ RESEARCH
Utah State University Eastern Central
Instructional Building
Owner: DFCM
GC: Jacobsen Construction
COnCRETE STRUCTURES
U of U Business Loop Parking Garage
Owner: DFCM
GC: Layton Construction
InDUSTRIAL
BYU Laundry Building, new Auxiliary
Services Maintenance Building
Owner: BYU
GC: Zwick Construction
WAREHOUSE
Cabela’s Distribution Center
Owner: Cabela’s
GC: Big-D Construction
K-12 EDUCATIOn
Hillcrest Junior High School Replacement
Owner: Murray City School District
GC: Hughes General Contractors, Inc.
MULTI-FAMILY RESIDEnTIAL/HOSPITALITY
The Summit at Snowbird
Ski & Summer Resort
Owner: Snowbird
GC: Layton Construction
OFFICE BUILDInG PROJECT
OF THE YEARCornerstone at Cottonwood
Corporate Center
Owner: Cottonwood Partners
GC: Big-D Construction
REnOVATIOn/RESTORATIOn PROJECT
OF THE YEAR
LDS Provo City Center Temple
Owner: The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
GC: Jacobsen Construction Company, Inc.
AGC of Utah 2016 Annual Awards
Notable Projects and Individuals Recognized by AGC
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 57
RETAIL PROJECT OF THE YEAR
RC Willey Flagship Furniture Store
Owner: RC Willey
GC: Okland Construction
SPORTS/RECREATIOn PROJECT
OF THE YEAR (UnDER $10 MILLIOn) Utah Olympic Park Ski Jumps
Owner: Utah Olympic Park
GC: Jacobsen Construction
SPORTS/RECREATIOn BUILDInG
PROJECT OF THE YEAR (OVER $10 MILLIOn )The George S. Eccles Student Life Center
Owner: DFCM
GC: Okland Construction
WORSHIP
LDS Payson Temple,
Owner: The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints
GC: Wadman Corporation
Highway/Municipal Utility Division Projects of the Year
URBAn HIGHWAY PROJECT
OF THE YEARSR-154 Redwood Road Interchange
Owner: UDOT
GC: Wadsworth Brothers Construction
RURAL HIGHWAY PROJECT OF THE
YEAR (UNDER $10 MILLION)US 89: 124.32 to 130.45 Minor
Rehabilitation-Roadway
Owner: UDOT
GC: Staker Parson Companies/Western
Rock Products
RURAL HIGHWAY PROJECT OF THE
YEAR (OVER $10 MILLIOn) I-15 Pine Creek Climbing Lanes & ITS/ATMS
Owner: UDOT
GC: Ames Construction, Inc.
TRAnSPORTATIOn PROJECT OF THE YEAR
I-80; Silvercreek to Wanship
Owner: UDOT
GC: Geneva Rock Products
UTILITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR
BDO Outfall Sewer Project
Owner: Central Weber Sewer
Improvement District
GC: Whitaker Construction Company
CIVIL-PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT
OF THE YEAR
Little Weber Cut-Off Project
Owner: Weber County
GC: Whitaker Construction Co.
HIGHWAY PROJECT OF THE YEAR
(UnDER $10 MILLIOn)
SR-108; Antelope Drive Interchange
Modification
Owner: UDOT
GC: Granite Construction
HIGHWAY PROJECT OF THE YEAR
(OVER $10 MILLIOn)Seven Mile/Gooseberry Road
Owner: FHA
GC: Brown Brothers Construction
2015 BEST PARTnERED URBAn
PROJECT AWARD F-0036(137)52
Owner: UDOT
GC: Meadow Valley Contractors Inc.
2015 BEST PARTnERED LARGE
PROJECT AWARD F-I80-4(148)148
Owner: UDOT
GC: Geneva Rock Products
UDOT SMALL COnTRACTOR
OF THE YEAR Rowser Construction
UDOT LARGE COnTRACTOR
OF THE YEAR Geneva Rock Products
Individual/Company Awards
AGC/WCF SAFE COnTRACTOR
OF THE YEAR Rydalch Electric, Inc.
ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
FFKR Architects
OWnER OF THE YEAR
Intermountain Health Care
COnSULTAnT/EnGInEER OF THE YEAR Reaveley Engineers + Associates
DFCM EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Denise Austin
SALES PERSOn OF THE YEAR
Justin Archuleta
Mountain States Supply
SERVICE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
MRES
SPECIALTY COnTRACTOR
OF THE YEARCache Valley Electric
BUILDInG PROJECT MAnAGER
OF THE YEARJohn Emery
Jacobsen Construction Company, Inc.
HIGHWAY PROJECT MAnAGER
OF THE YEAR
Layne Fullmer
Wadsworth Brothers Construction
SUPERInTEnDEnT OF THE YEAR
Cody Martin
Wadman Corporation
UDOT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
Scott Andrus
State Materials Engineer
AGC COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSOn
OF THE YEARBrandon Squire
Executive VP/Chief Operating Officer
Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction
SERVICE TO THE InDUSTRY
Richard Hunt
Hunt Electric n
AGC of Utah 2016 Annual Awards
58 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
AIA Utah Honors2015 Award WinnersAIA Utah handed out awards to fivedeserving projects last november.
AIA Utah 2015 Awards
Honor Award Midvale SeniorCenter
Architect: EDA Architects
Owner:Salt Lake County
Completion Date:7/10/2015
Midvale Senior Center
Honor Award Publik Coffee Roasters
Architect: Lloyd Architects
Owner:Publik Coffee Roasters
Completion Date:3/2014
Publik Coffee RoastersPublik Coffee Roasters is an adaptive
re-use project of an old existing warehouse
building in Salt Lake City at the former
site of Jensen Reproduction Company.
The main space centers on one large
communal volume created by the removal
of the concrete precast plank upper floor,
passively cooled with the aid of a 14’ blade
fan and day-lit though the north facing
restored steel windows.
The exterior includes existing masonry
and a pre-cast concrete frame, while a light
gauge steel bow-string truss roof system
adds structural integrity while maintaining
expansive views.
Sustainable items include reclaimed
timber and fence cladding, restored steel
windows and repurposed glulam beams
and steel fire doors.
This 20,560 SF building is composed
of two principle building elements: a
one-story brick masonry structure with
storefronts at either end, scaled to match
the historic fabric of Main Street; and a
two-story linear structure which forms
the southern edge of the civic campus
and new public plaza connecting the
Center to the Municipal Hall. Articulated
steel, patinated copper cladding, a
perforated steel-clad silo, and engineered
wood siding fuse historic materiality
and form into a wholly modern work.
The building utilizes an energy efficient
VRF mechanical system, 100% LED light
fixtures (with occupancy sensors and
daylighting control and other green
materials.
AIA Utah handed out awards to five deserving projects last November. Projects were honored based on a variety of factors, including innovation, design techniques, sustainability/green aspects, energy and water use/conservation and community connectivity.
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 59
Odyssey Elementary School
UVU new Classroom Building
Architect: VCBO Architecture
Architect:Method Studio/CRSA
Owner:David School District
Owner:Utah Valley University
Completion Date:10/28/2014
Completion Date:12/18/2014
AIA Utah 2015 Awards
Odyssey Elementary School
UVU New Classroom Building
MERIT AWARD
MERIT AWARD
This 84,760 SF ‘Net Zero’ designed
school (highlight: a rooftop PV solar
array which fills the entire surface) has
the theme ‘Bodies in Motion: The Animal
Kingdom’ – a way to promote healthy,
active lifestyles to students. Four
learning wings (groups of classrooms
called ‘habitats’) are represented by
four colors: red, orange, blue and green.
Each habitat corresponds to one of the
thematic motions of the school: Run,
Jump, Swim and Fly, and includes eight
classrooms, a central collaboration
area, and teacher prep and storage
areas. Classrooms have a 16 ft. wide
roll-up glass door which allows access
to the main collaboration space or other
individual classrooms.
This functional and stylish 245,000
SF LEED Silver building at Utah Valley
University breaks new territory by
providing flexible space outside the
classroom that removes barriers to
learning. The design is generous in its
public seating, group collaboration, and
gathering space – it has become a hub of
student activity. A 1,000-seat auditorium
can be divided into three classrooms via
an isolating folding wall system, while a
two-story atrium connects the 265-foot-
long horizontal office bar and five-story
academic classroom block. Sustainable
items include reduced interior lighting
power density, an evaporative cooling
system and low VOC materials.
60 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
The Cliff Lodge at Snowbird
Architect:FFKR Architects
Owner: Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort
Completion:12/1/1987
The Cliff Lodgeat Snowbird
AIA Utah 2015 Awards
25-YEAR AWARD
Snowbird’s Cliff Lodge is one of the
most iconic buildings in the state of Utah’s
entire ski industry.To balance its strong
physical presence, the right materials
were used on this $74 million project
to lessen the building’s visual impact
and provide a sense of belonging to the
scenic natural environment. Primary
materials include concrete, glass, and
wood; colors and textures incorporate
seamlessly into natural surroundings.
The project is highlighted by a stunning
11-story atrium that offers incredible
views of the mountainside. The 14-story
concrete structure uses a natural gas-
fired co-generation facility consisting of
three 650-kilowatt generators. Vehicles
are parked adjacent to the site in a 182-car
covered parking structure.
62 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
BEST OF SHOW
USU Brigham City Academic Building
Owner: DFCM
Architect: Jacoby Architects
GC: R&O Construction
Mason: Rocky Mountain Masonry
HOnOR
Cache Valley Bank
Owner: Cache Valley Bank
Architect: Design West Architects
GC: Gary Olsen Construction
Mason: Grover & Daugherty Masonry
Draper Warehouse Office
Owner: Lone Peak Holdings
Architect: Beecher Walker Associates
GC:R&O Construction
Mason: Kim Pierce Masonry
McKay-Dee Hospital Addition/Auditorium
Owner: Intermountain Health Care
Architect: HKS Architects
GC: Big-D Construction
Mason: IMS Masonry
Midvale Senior Center
Owner: Salt Lake County
Architect: EDA Architects
GC: Stallings Construction
Mason: Dartco Masonry
Mountain Point Medical Center
Owner: IASIS Healthcare
Architect: Earl Swensson Associates
GC: Layton Construction
Mason: IMS Masonry
Mount Jordan Middle School
Owner: Canyons School District
Architect: MHTN Architects
GC: Hogan Associates
Mason: AK Masonry
Ogden 2nd District Juvenile Court
Owner: DFCM
Architect: VCBO Architecture
GC: Jacobsen Construction
Mason: IMS Masonry
UMC Honors 20 Projects at Annual Awards BanquetUSU Academic Building earns ‘Best of Show’; Golden Trowel presented to Rocky Mountain Masonry; Paul Snyder recognized.
UMC 2015 EIMD Awards
Awards were plentiful during Utah Masonry Council’s (UMC)
annual ‘Excellence in Masonry Design’ (EIMD) awards event
January 29 at Marriott City Center in Salt Lake City, highlighted by
the USU Brigham City Academic Building earning ‘Best of Show’. In
all, 20 projects were recognized across the Wasatch Front.
The coveted ‘Golden Trowel’ award went to Ogden-based Rocky
Mountain Masonry for it’s work on the fore mentioned project,
while Paul Snyder, founder of Spanish Fork-based Paul Snyder
Masonry, was presented with the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award.
Snyder founded his firm in 1973 with a pickup truck, a few
tools, a wheel barrow and mixer, and forged a relationship
with Ace Avery Homes which proved beneficial in the early
days. Snyder Masonry is renowned nationally for its training
videos on the art of masonry. Notable firm projects include
Eccles Performing Arts Center, Syracuse Elementary, Gateway
Apartments and Hogle Zoo.
Feb 16 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | 63
Provo City Center Temple
Owner: LDS Church
Architect: FFKR Architects
GC: Jacobsen Construction
Mason: Child Enterprises
MERIT
BYU Laundry, Maintenance
& Emergency Services
Owner: BYU
Architect: MHTN Architects
GC: Zwick Construction
Mason: IMS Masonry
Central Bank
Owner: Central Bank
Architect: Harris Architecture
GC: Randall Cloward Builders
Mason: Child Enterprises
Donna Garff Marriott Honors Residential
Scholars Community
Owner: DFCM
Architect: Jacoby Architects
GC: Gramoll Construction
Mason: Allen’s Masonry Co.
Hillcrest Jr. High
Owner: Murray City School District
Architect: Naylor Wentworth
Lund Architects
GC: Hughes General Contractors
Mason: AK Masonry
University of Utah Guest House
Owner: DFCM
Architect: Jacoby Architects
GC: Big-D Construction
Mason: IMS Masonry
CITATIOn
BYU Broadcasting Building
Owner: BYU
Architect: VCBO Architecture
GC: Okland Construction
Mason: Allen’s Masonry Co.
J. Will Robinson Federal Building
Owner: GSA
Architect: Design West Architects
GC: Raass Brothers Construction
Mason: Abstract Masonry Restoration
Pleasant Grove High School Gymnasium
Owner: Alpine School District
Architect: Sandstrom Architecture
GC: Westland Construction
Mason: Doyle Hatfield Masonry
Riverton City Park
Owner: Riverton City
Architect: Think Architecture
GC: Okland Construction
Mason: Harv & Higham Masonry
Tree Haven Parade Home
Owner: Tree Haven Homes
Architect: Landforms Design
GC: Tree Haven Homes
Mason: Craig Andrus Masonry
West Weber Elementary
Owner: Weber School District
Architect: MHTN Architects
GC: Comtrol Inc.
Mason: Doyle Hatfield Masonry
UMC 2015 EIMD Awards
Utah Construction& DesignReach 6,000 plus Industry Decision-Makers!
For Advertising Inquiries:
Ladd Marshall at (801) 872-3531
The only publication dedicated exclusively to Utah’s A/E/C industry!
UC&D
PLATINUM
HONNEN
EQUIPMENT
CNA Insurance • Double D Distribution • Gramoll Construction • Intermountain Bobcat • Security 101Tri-Hurst Construction • Fleet Services of Utah
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
BRONZE
SUPPORTER
SILVER
GOLD
94th Annual Convention • January 21st-23rd, 2016 • Little America Hotel
We make promises every single day. At Big-D that is
not something we take lightly.
It is our pledge, vow, guarantee, oath, word, and commitment to absolutely
keep those promises.
roB mooreBig-D President/C.o.o.
Big-D is a construction company with four decades of growth – growth that has earned a ranking among the nation’s “Top 100” contractors, growth that comes from having a leader at the helm who embodies the mantra, “heart, soul, muscle and mind.” Big-D’s President and C.o.o., rob moore, has 40 years of experience, countless awards and recognition, and an entire company that is grateful for his vision, determination and example set in exceeding expectations.
Call 800.748.4481 or visit www.big-d.com
UCD Ad_2016.indd 1 2/19/2016 2:41:46 PM
66 | UTAH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN | Feb 16
Index of Advertisers
AE Urbia ................................................................................................................... 2AGC of Utah ....................................................................................................... 64Arnold Machinery ............................................................................................. 4Babcock Design Group ............................................................................... 66Bank of Utah .................................................................................................... 61Big-D Construction ....................................................................................... 65Cache Valley Electric ....................................................................................39Century Equipment ...................................................................................... 11CRS Engineers .................................................................................................. 19GSBS Architects .............................................................................................. 21Honnen Equipment ...................................................................................... 17Hunt Electric ..................................................................................................... 47Intermountain Commercial Storage ............................. Back CoverJacobsen Construction ................................................................................. 9Jones Waldo ....................................................................................................... 53Kilgore Companies ........................................................................................... 5Layton Construction ................................................................................... 49Method Studio ................................................................................................. 16Midwest Commercial Interiors ............................................................. 23Monsen Engineering ................................................................................... 10Mountain States Fence ............................................................................... 45R&O Construction ............................................................................................ 6Reaveley Engineers + Associates ........................................................ 46Richards Brandt Miller Nelson .............................................................. 21Spectrum Engineers .................................................................................... 60Staker Parson Companies ........................................................................ 27UDOT (Zero Fatalities) .................................................................................. 67Watts Construction ...................................................................................... 66Wheeler Cat .......................................................................................................... 3Zwick Construction ...................................................................................... 25
zeroworkzonead FIN.pdf 1 1/23/13 3:08 PM
Utah Construction& DesignReach 6,000 plus Industry Decision-Makers!
For Advertising Inquiries:
Ladd Marshall at (801) 872-3531
The only publication dedicated exclusively to Utah’s A/E/C industry!
UC&D
Got extra Stuff?Need Space?We have it!
10’ x 20’ Drive up units for Commercial use!!!
10’ by 20’ commercial storage units to meet your needs...n Documentarchivesn Unusedofficefurnituren Equipmentandmaterialsn Contractorandtradesmanequipmentstoragen Exhibitandtradeshowdisplays
IntermountainCommercialStorage3455 West 2100 South (behind Intermountain Bobcat) Call now to reserve your space 801-262-0208
www.imcommercialstorage.com
n MidValleylocationtostorethetoolsofyourtrade
n EastAccessoff3200west-Hwy201
n 24/7securedkeypadgateaccess
n Businessesstoreyour:extrafiles,furniture,tradeshow exhibit,tools,maintenanceequipment
n Contractorsstoreyour:skidsteers,compactequipment,spare vehicles,handheldtools,attachments,barricades,partsandsupply
n Easysignup:monthlypay,annualprepayoptions