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A new hospital for McKinney

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55 years, and a new location Some sage advice

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www.constructionnews.net (210) 308-5800 PO Box 791290 San Antonio TX 78279 Vol. 10 No. 7 JULY 2012

It’s been 55 years since the Dallas-based mechanical-electrical engineer-ing firm now known as Purdy-McGuire

opened its doors. This is shaping up to be a banner year for the award-winning firm original-ly known as Ratliff-Irby-Purdy, which is celebrating both its anniversary and the grand opening of a new office in Fort Worth, which opened its doors on May 1. “We have a lot of really good clients in Fort Worth, and we have a lot of really nice projects out there, but you really need to have a presence in Fort Worth to work on those really nice city projects,” said CEO Dianne Fletcher, who has been with the company 51 years. “We decided

it was the right time, and that we had the right person to manage it.” Doug Ekstrom, the firm’s director of commissioning, will take over as director of the new location, said Fletcher, who said it would be convenient for her employees that handle clients in both markets. “We have employees working out in Grand Prairie and Fort Worth, and this will be a great place for them to stop be-tween meetings and get some work done,” she said. “We’re getting really plugged in out there, but not at the ex-pense of our Dallas clients.” Fletcher hasn’t always been the CEO of the firm, which employs 34 workers.

Longevity prevails at Purdy McGuire. L-R: Sandi Danna has been with the company 43 years, CEO Dianne Fletcher has been there 51 years, and Brad Regle has been there for 30.

You might call John Benton, owner of Omni Services Group, some-thing of a swami, because he’s

good at giving advice in a succinct, to-the-point fashion. While his Dallas office – headquar-ters for his business, which does com-mercial electrical contracting – doesn’t exactly look like the top of Mt. Fuji, Ben-ton has been around the block, especially with starting a business out of one’s ga-rage and adopting dogs. “Here’s a word of advice for you,” said Benton, leaning back in his chair. “If someone sends you a mass text message asking if anyone can adopt a dog, and you say, ‘Maybe I can take him,’ you’ve just adopted yourself a dog.”

L-R: Willie Bensley, project estimator; John Benton, owner; and Becky Rhodes, office manager, are three of the 23 workers that staff Omni Services Group.

He didn’t take his own advice, though. For the past six months, the avid outdoorsman has been the proud owner of a dog he adopted after it was rescued in Lubbock by his sister. It turns out the name for the 60-pound, 1-year-old dog isn’t apropos, though. “There is no hunt in Hunter,” Benton lamented. “He just wants to play.” But adopting dogs isn’t the only thing the business owner has found him-self gaining knowledge on. He’s kept the lights on and the doors open at Omni Services Group since 2003 – no small feat in this economy. The company, which lit-erally started in his garage, employs 22

Many business and civic leaders will tell you that building a state-of-the-art hospital encourages

the growth and development of a com-munity. If that’s the case, expect the develop-ing north Texas community of McKinney to see its population growth take off af-ter July 6, when the Baylor Health Care System opens the doors to a new hospi-tal and adjoining medical office building at the corner of US 380 and Lake Forest. MEDCO Construction served as gen-eral contractor on Baylor Medical Center at McKinney, a hospital that cost $91.7 million to construct, with an adjacent medical office building with a construc-tion cost of $15.3 million. Located on approximately 60 acres, the 469,000-sf, six-floor hospital is open-ing with 95 beds, and is built to expand as the community’s medical needs grow. Ninety-six more patient beds can be add-

ed on two shelled out floors, and eventu-ally, the hospital can accommodate 400 beds and multiple professional office buildings on the campus. “It is more than just bricks and mor-tar,” said Denward Freeman, president of MEDCO Construction. “We are part of a commitment to a community to bring ex-cellence in healthcare and to touch lives in a significant way. We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this great project.” Surgical services, imaging, cardio-vascular services, the intensive care unit and emergency department will go on the first floor. The second floor holds the birthing center, private neonatal inten-sive care rooms, well-baby nursery, and labor-and-delivery, and the third floor contains medical/surgical telemetry suites and the dialysis suite.

The new six-floor Baylor Medical Center at McKinney recently opened with 95 beds.

Page 2 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Grownups sunk their lures in the pond, their putts on the green and their teeth into barbecue.

Trampoline springs squealed, paddle-boat pedals squeaked and swimming pool water splashed from the energy of the children’s feet. Butterfly nets caught all manner of flying creatures buzzing above the crackling grass. A private plane performed daredevil stunts in the sum-mer sky before the sun could set and al-low the fireworks to begin. Two scorching days into the month of June - after what many considered a hectic May - attitudes were being adjust-ed, which was the reason for the fete in the first place. The 28th Annual Attitude Adjustment Party, hosted by PCL Con-tract Bonding Agency’s Clem and Pau-line Lesch at their Valley View farm, of-

Bonding experience

fered employees, friends of the company and their families a chance to bond with each other, recalibrate their attitudes and remember just how fun a Texas summer can be. Guests were also invited to bring their obsolete forms and old files to throw into a “bond fire” giving everyone a chance to do a little “summer cleaning.” –mjm

L-R: Leo and Barb Lesch, hosts Pauline and Clem Lesch, Eric and Melissa Lesch, and Trico Electric’s Gary Menzies and Brandon Menzies

PCL’s Michael Ross enjoys some shade with Clem Lesch’s brother, Gerald and Merchants

Bonding Company’s Aaron Raschke.

L-R: Liberty Mutual Surety’s Jon Petranek gets in some tee time with son, Dale

L-R: Stacey Colca and PremRock Commercial Drywall’s Victor Munoz

L-R: Pauline Lesch greets LEMCO Construction Services’ Judy and Paul

Lembke. L-R: PCL’s Roger Bales and Linda Borhaugand Travelers’ Roger Bumgarner

Since 1992, Perma-Pier Foundation Repair of Texas has been giving buildings of many shapes and sizes

“a necessary lift” when their foundations go awry. For about three of those years, Vice President of Commercial Construction Robby Brown has been with the com-pany, lending his experience to a com-pany that is celebrating its 20th anniver-sary and 10th anniversary under current owner Shawn Lawson. Brown’s been in the industry since 2000, and comes from a long line of foun-dation repair professionals. “I’ve been around it my whole life, so I understand it,” Brown said. “After my grandfather passed away, my dad want-ed me to join up with their company, Brown Foundation Repair. “We were bought out, and I was looking for a new challenge. That’s how I came to work at Perma-Pier.” The 120-employee company has of-fices in Dallas, San Antonio and Houston. It does repairs on commercial facilities ranging from warehouses to industrial and multifamily units, as well as single-family residences. “The only thing we don’t touch are high-rise buildings, or buildings over five stories,” Brown explained. “If the founda-tions on those are bad, you’re looking at a total teardown.” Foundation repair businesses keep their doors open in Texas thanks to the

20 years of support

state’s clay soil that easily contracts and expands. A unique repair service the company offers is mudjacking, Brown explained. “It’s a non invasive way to lift a slab, street or swimming pool,” he said. “You inject a slurry – which is a sandy loam ce-ment mixture – to lift it. It’s something probably 95 percent of our competitors don’t do.” At this time, the company’s anniver-sary is being met with little fanfare. “We really feel like we’re just getting started,” he said. “We think we’re going to be around for as long as this service is needed.” –ms

Robby Brown is the Vice President of Commercial Construction at Perma-Pier

Foundation Repair of Texas.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 3

Running his company’s operations from Watauga and the financial of-fice from his home just wasn’t cut-

ting it anymore for Larry Cano, owner of Cano Electric. “We decided to go ahead and bring everything under one umbrella,” said Cano, who moved the entire business into a space on Gravel Dr. in Fort Worth. The business has steadily grown since its inception in 2009, but for the first six months or so, Cano was a one-man band, he said. “For the first six months I did all the work myself,” Cano said. “I had not worked with my tools since 1997, and I lost like 35 pounds the first six months. I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into! “As soon as 2010 came around, I could tell the economy for the industry was improving. I hired three people that spring, and I haven’t looked back.” Today, with a crew of six in place, Cano has again retired his tools, focusing

New digs for Cano

his efforts on sales and project manage-ment. The business, which does mostly ser-vice and repair on multifamily housing complexes, has steadily grown. He did about $128,000 his first year, but did $900,000 in 2011 and projects about $1.5 million in 2012. “It was a bad time to start a business, but I’m glad I did it because it’s a great time to be in the industry,” said Cano, who said his business also has purely commer-cial clients. “A lot of people are renting because they can’t afford to buy houses right now. The multifamily housing com-panies are spending money again.” To unwind, Cano and his wife, Deb-ra, who have two grown daughters, like to get away to the Floridian coast or the high seas. “Me and my wife take at least one cruise a year, and we like to head out to Key West if we can spring out there,” he said. “We try to get away at Spring Break, or right after Christmas.” –ms

L-R: Larry Cano, owner; Corey Reid, apprentice; Stacy VanPelt, administrative support; Scott Burkhart, journeyman; Jim Allen, master electrician; Heather Griffing, administrative support

The Austin Construction News (ISSN 1547-7649) is published monthly, by Construction News Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to selected construction-related companies in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space-available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

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Dallas Fort Worth

Good timingConstruction News ON LOCATION

Construction News caught up with the staff at FWB Rentals in Carrollton before they closed up shop for the day. It was the end of a long workday, but the guys had their heads up high and a good energy level as they prepared to pack it in. L-R: Stephen Hart, David Combs, Jeremy Hogan and Robert Angeletta. –ms

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Page 4 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Michael andLisa Brown

Owners

Michael E. Brown& Associates, LLC.

Married for 12 years and running a business together for nearly four, Michael and Lisa Brown will

admit that they’ve had “Mars” and “Ve-nus” moments straight out of a Dr. John Gray relationship advice book. But, whether they are working feverishly in their offices, in opposite rooms of the home office, or cheering side-by-side at a Mavs game, there’s no doubt these two planets have aligned.

How did you two meet?

Michael: [It was on] a bit of a blind date for her. We had a mutual friend that thought we might like each other. Lisa: We met at this play and just really hit it off. What’s interesting is the first time I met Michael, after the play we walked around outside and just chatted, and he was talking about his work – the win-dows and the aluminum, and telling me about the doors and the architecture of the buildings. I could see he was so pas-sionate about his work. He even got down on the ground and looked at a door and was showing me all of this inter-esting stuff that I had never even noticed before in a building; you just sort of take it for granted because it’s glass and alu-minum and you don’t think about it. But he was literally passionate about his work, and I found that attractive.

And you of course enjoyed meeting Lisa. Right, Michael?

Michael: Yes. In the beginning, I was, probably, intimidated by her, and didn’t think she liked me. When I asked her if she would meet me for cappuccino – I didn’t even like cappuccino, but thought it was a cool thing to say …Lisa: I said, “No,” since it was very late. But as we walked to our cars, I turned and said, “Can I get a rain check?” and he said yes. We now have that engraved in his [wedding] ring – it says “Cappuccino – rain check.”

That is a great story!

Michael: I still don’t drink cappuccino! Lisa: No, he still doesn’t drink coffee ei-ther, but it was sweet that he asked. We dated 5 1/2 years before we got married.

And now you work together?

Michael: We didn’t know, at first, that it was going to work this way.Lisa: I had worked for Richmond Hill Clothing Company, a children’s clothing design and wholesaler, since I was 18. I’ve been a part of accounting, [served as general manager] and then became vice-president. I’ve done a little of everything. I moved from New Hampshire to Dal-las in 1989 and then, about four years ago, the business owners moved to Mas-sachusetts; I stayed in Dallas but moved

the office to my home office and contin-ued providing customer service. Meanwhile, Michael had talked about starting his business since around 2000, but then the events of 9/11 contrib-uted to putting it on hold. It’s funny how things work out … If [Michael’s business] had started in 2000 then we may not have been at a point where we were ready to do it since we had just gotten married. I think it just sort of worked out. I moved the office for Richmond Hills [into our home] in October and Michael started his business officially in February four years ago. I said I would do the ac-counting and help with invoicing so that [Michael] wouldn’t have to worry about it. I thought it would be a few hours a week and I could still provide services for Richmond Hill. That’s how I got involved in [Michael’s business].Michael: For me, I think I’ve had a desire to be an entrepreneur for decades. Part of that may come from my dad having his own construction business back in the ’70s and ’80s. At one point, at about the time I met [Lisa], I was trying to figure out how I could do that. And in the ’90s, I was thinking I could develop a clothing [busi-ness]; I don’t have a background in it but I dreamed of that possibility. Long story short, we really became intense about launching a business. Around the year 2000, we started talking more seriously about it and I took additional business classes along with reading about the best way to transition from a career-long corporate-type posi-tion to being a business owner. Fast-forward to 2008 and then we set a date for launching the business. Lisa was instrumental in that. She said, “Mi-chael, just set a date and just start work-ing toward that.” That really was an im-portant moment since I was meandering a little bit. Lisa: I really believed we should just try it. What was the worst that could happen? In a year or two we might have to go back and get a job, but that would be the “worst thing;” however, at least we would have tried it. I never felt that he would have to do that. I had a very different feeling this time around than in 2000 when we were first talking about it. He was ready.Michael: There were moments when I thought, “I am about to commit financial suicide!” but I had enough confidence to believe I could do it, because if you don’t believe it, you shouldn’t do it; however, you still never know. It’s a huge risk to simply walk away and say that I’m going to launch this busi-ness. To take that leap was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done.

Well, then it’s great that you had Lisa to help you!

Michael: She brings a skill set that I don’t have. I would just fumble through it and do it on the fly. Lisa might be the smartest person I’ve worked around. Her ability to adapt to an industry [she was unfamiliar with] has been impressive. I think there have been times when I have been frustrated because I expected her to already know it. I think because she adapted so well, in some areas, I just assumed she already knew some things that she didn’t. That has certainly been my fault and it’s been part of my learning curve about working together.

Has working together proved better than you thought it would be? More challenging?

Michael: For me, it’s been both … It’s been far better than I thought. Lisa has been far more instrumental than I ex-pected, at this stage. In fact, she is not an assistant; instead, she is a co-owner. She is an integral part of this business.

Lisa: I think I would say both as well. I think you think you know your spouse when they talk about their work and you go, “Oh, yes, that’s how he is” based on what you hear them talk about, when they work for a separate company. I would hear things from Michael when he came home from work that was unfil-tered and just raw. To see him in a more professional way during the work day, in the same of-fice, has been very interesting and, I think, really good for our marriage. I see a completely different side of him that I re-spect so much. I think, for me, getting into this in-dustry as a second career has been excit-ing and has been frustrating at times be-cause I feel like I should know this, and there’s a whole new vocabulary. It’s been really interesting to learn and feel chal-lenged again. I think doing it together has brought us closer together.

How do you deal with the challenges?Michael: I am a communicator. I compare myself to a coach or a teacher. That’s the way I’ve always been. I believe that if something is in error, you’ve got to go and fix it. Sometimes I’m too assertive with that although, through the years, I’ve pulled back on that ap-proach.Lisa: The conflicts we’ve had can [stem] from something as simple as a miscom-munication. I know you dislike this - the “Mars/Venus” kind of thing – but it’s the way we communicate, and I think we have seen that in our business communi-cations with each other. It is such a cliché but it’s true. He will say things like, “Is this how you communicated at Richmond Hill?” and I’m thinking, “I have never had any-one tell me I wasn’t expressing myself or communicating something the way I meant it!” But I also worked a lot around women so I don’t know if that was a key component.Michael: That will happen to us, and I’ll just say that it was a “Mars/Venus” mo-ment and we’ve got to figure it out. Since we are working from a home office and working together, we don’t have the benefit of a commute to decom-press after a hard day at work.

How do you decompress?

Michael: We used to work out together.CN: You work out together, too?Lisa: We haven’t lately. Our doctors would tell you that!Michael: I have to say, I think I’m pretty lucky because I love sports and she likes sports, too– probably not quite to the level I do …Lisa: … But enough to keep up …Michael: I would tell co-workers at the corporate-type office about her, and some expressed how lucky I was to have a wife that knows that stuff! It may not be

a physical hobby but we really enjoy sports together. Lisa: I think we’ve been so focused on work that it has become our hobby, espe-cially in the last three years. Michael: We manage the entire company process and we’re evaluating ways to share some management activities. We may be at a point where we’ve got to fig-ure that out.

Once you find the right help and put it in place, will you then be able to do things you love to do?

Michael: Yes, I think that’s part of what we know we’ve got to do.Lisa: We love to travel. In the last four years, we haven’t had a vacation.

Well, are you doing anything fun at work then?

Michael: For the business, we have You-Tube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and a blog. The YouTube videos are about con-struction issues and we’ve created some-thing called “Tech Talk” which is a brand that we’ve established where we can talk about technical matters. They are edited and produced by MEB & Associates.Lisa: In regards to the videos, I have the camera and tripod! They’ve turned out quite well and we have gotten a lot of hits and good feedback.Michael: Yes, we’ve gotten some good feedback from it …Lisa: … But you always want more!Michael: I do want more! Yeah, I think of those people who get 1,000,000-plus hits and think they would laugh at me if they knew I was excited about 200, but I am!

Are you happy with how your partner-ship has turned out and the direction the business is going?

Michael: Yes, I’m very happy with it. I’m very proud of it although I haven’t taken enough time to step back and digest how far we’ve progressed. I feel a lot of responsibility for having my name on that door or on that “shingle” as they say.Lisa: I always felt like he was going to be successful. I’m extremely proud, very ex-cited about the future and looking for-ward to [the business] getting a little big-ger. In other words, maybe it can evolve to a point where we can step back and have a moment to ourselves away from work and enjoy it more.

Dallas-based Michael E. Brown & Associ-ates is a technical services company, pro-viding shop drawings, takeoff, consulting and application engineering for glazed wall systems. –mjm

L-R: Lisa and Michael Brown are still taking a rain check on the cappuccino.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 5

Rays of sunshineConstruction News ON LOCATION

The guys at Sunstate Equipment Co. in McKinney were in good spirits when Con-struction News recently visited them. L-R: Omar Bjelbe, Terry Hicks, Duane Mc-

Gurk and Robert Brock. The guys referred to McGurk as “the big boss man.” –ms

Lien releases and waivers:Are your forms enforceableChad B. Simon, AssociateAllensworth & Porter, LLPAustin, TX

The Texas Legislature modified Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code in 2011 to require the use of four spe-

cific statutory forms to waive or release lien and certain payment bond claims: (i) Conditional Release of Progress Payment; (ii) Unconditional Release of Progress Payment; (iii) Conditional Release of Final Payment; and (iv) Uncon-

ditional Release of Final Payment. The forms are set forth in § 53.284 of the Property Code and are available on the internet at http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us.

While these new requirements have been in effect since January 1, 2012, the “safe harbor” provision that protected owners and contractors who “attempted to comply” with the statute expires on August 31, 2012. Consequently, any re-lease executed after August 31, 2012 that does not substantially comply with the mandated forms will be unenforceable. Below are some practical considerations for the construction industry. The Statute: The statute provides that a waiver and release will release the owner, the owner’s property, the contractor, and the surety on a payment bond from claims and liens only if: (1) the waiver and re-lease substantially comply with one of the forms prescribed by Section 53.284; (2) the waiver and release is signed by the claimant or the claimant’s authorized agent and notarized; and (3) in the case of a conditional release, evidence of pay-ment to the claimant exists. Tex. ProP. Code § 53.281. The boundaries of “substantial com-pliance” with the statutory lien release forms have not yet been defined. Regard-less of the precise limitations however, it seems clear that any effort to expand the scope of the release will likely render it unenforceable. Exceptions to Use of Mandated Forms: Although the statute requires use of the mandated forms, it also pro-vides several exceptions to this require-ment. Notably, owners and upstream contractors may still require downstream contractors to sign broader releases if: (1) the release or waiver is made in accord and satisfaction of a specific identified payment dispute; (2) the release or waiv-er is part of an agreement related to a case pending in any court or arbitration proceeding; or (3) the release is part of an agreement executed by the parties after a lien affidavit has been filed or a bond claim has been made. Tex. ProP. Code § 53.287. Additionally, the prohibition against contractual waivers of lien rights is no longer applicable to contracts for resi-dential construction, provided the origi-nal contract containing the waiver was made before any labor or materials were provided under the parties’ agreement. Tex. ProP. Code § 53.282(a)(3). This excep-tion however does not apply to material suppliers and therefore the statutory forms still should be used to release such claims. Tex. ProP. Code § 53.282(c). Practical Considerations:

The statutory forms all contain lan-guage that release claims against “the property” and the “project,” but do not specify claims against particular parties; nor do the statutory forms contain stan-dard provisions, such as indemnification clauses, that were found in most releases prior to the Legislature’s modification of the statute. As a result, contractors may need (or require) multiple forms: (1) statutory lien releases; (2) additional releases for con-tractual payment claims; and (3) a true Bills Paid Affidavit. General contractors should be cau-tious in entering into contracts with own-ers requiring unconditional final releases prior to final payment. While this is typi-cal in current contracts, the new statute precludes general contractors from get-ting unconditional final releases from subcontractors prior to paying in full. When using the conditional release forms, owners and upstream contractors should secure evidence of payment sep-arate and apart from the release itself, as the release will not be enforceable ab-sent evidence of payment. Expanded Coverage for Landscap-ers: The revisions to Chapter 53 of the Property Code also contain an amend-ment that is very important to landscap-ers and contractors. Previously, landscap-ers were only granted a lien if they had a direct contract with the owner. The revi-sions expanded the lien rights of land-scapers, now permitting a person “who provides labor, plant material, or other supplies for the installation of landscap-ing” to have a lien on the property if the claimant has a contract with the owner, owner’s agent, contractor, or subcontrac-tor. Tex. ProP. Code § 53.021(d). The recent changes to the lien stat-ute, including the statutorily mandated forms, present numerous new challenges for the construction industry. While this article highlights several of these new challenges, it is advisable to seek counsel in order to ensure that your interests are protected. The foregoing is provided for in-formational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice or to serve as an alternative to seeking le-gal counsel.

Chad Simon is an associate with Allen-sworth & Porter, LLP. He represents general contractors, subcontractors, architects, and engineers, and can be reached at cbs@aa-plaw.com.

Build a future for your businessLee Ann Collins, PartnerLane Gorman Trubitt, PLLCDallas, TX

Planning your business transition is a process that be-gins well in advance of your desire to leave the busi-

ness. It is critical to plan a strategy to transition yourself out of the leadership role you have in your construction company, especially as the baby boomers head towards retirement. Your succession plan should cover every-thing from naming a person to take over (the successor)

as well as choosing the best method for shifting ownership to that person and any other family members, if necessary.

Find the best candidate The most important question to dis-cuss in any succession plan is who will lead your business. If your company is family-owned, finding a person to take over might be difficult. A family member may be qualified but might have no inter-est in filling your shoes. Another prob-lem is they may be interested but not enough sufficient experience. You might have to be sensitive with other family is-sues especially if you have more than one member involved with the business or if you have children from different mar-riages. Now is the time to develop future leaders. Take time to identify children or other key employees you feel holds lead-ership potential and start developing their skills early. Show them all aspects of running the business. You can help with the process by de-veloping a plan and creating their path to become the leader of the business. You want to design appropriate fringe bene-fit and deferred compensation plans as well as incentive pay to help retain them until you step down.

Encourage your entire family It is important to encourage the en-tire family, regardless of if they are in-volved with the business or not, in par-ticipating in the planning process. They should understand the financial and per-sonal consequences of an unsuccessful succession. One of the biggest issues during this process is how to divide assets equally among heirs when only some of the fam-ily members will have control of or re-ceive ownership interests in the business. If there are sufficient liquid assets, con-sider purchasing life insurance to provide for any children who won’t be involved in the business and given ownership inter-ests only to those who will be involved. You can always establish a family trust to own and operate the business so the en-tire family shares the risks and benefits.

Consider transferring ownershipThe easiest way to transfer ownership of your construction company is to sell it to

family members if they can afford it and want to buy it.

You can transfer ownership by gift-ing interests over time but there are po-tential gift tax liabilities with this. It won’t generate an income stream to carry you through retirement, also. If you are ready and able to make a larger transfer this year, you can take advantage of the re-cord high $5.12 million to make tax-free gifts. The exemption is scheduled to drop to $1 million in 2013, though Con-gress may extend the current exemption or make other estate tax law changes. A trust is another alternative for transferring ownership without the tax obligations. One option is a grantor re-tained annuity trust (GRAT) which pro-vides income for a term of years and then distributes the remaining assets to the beneficiaries.

Involve your advisors Get your CPA, lawyer, insurance advi-sor and family business consultant in-volved to help you consider all circum-stances and obstacles. This will help you create an unbiased succession plan. Your plan should state whether and how, if at all, you’ll stay involved with the company. Consider the repercussions of staying too involved as it may inhibit your successor from taking over fully. Your plan should include a manage-ment structure that will take hold after your departure and keep the business sound while ensuring acceptable liquidi-ty to fund your retirement. Include a buy-sell agreement in the succession plan, which allows you to restrict trans-fers or ownership interest and can help minimize income and estate taxes.

Follow through People talk about the need for a suc-cession plan within their business but few actually follow through with creating one. The people taking over need to be trained and experienced in being a lead-er, therefore, it is critical to start the pro-cess several years before you plan to re-tire, ideally a decade or more from the ideal retirement date.

Page 6 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Future pensions andthe PBGCAngela P. Smucker, LUTCF FSSCentral Texas Independent Insurancedba CTI Insurance & Risk ManagementAustin, TX

In 2004, I was in Wisconsin offering retirement plan-ning and insurance services. At a community event, I

met Jim, a retired United Airlines employee. Since Unit-ed Airlines had filed for bankruptcy protection in 2002, I was concerned for Jim’s financial security.

“Don’t worry, “ Jim told me. “I’ve al-ready started my pension and it’s guaran-teed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Company (‘PBGC’).” That was a relief since Jim and his wife were in their 70s. I didn’t see them again until 2006 when I was reminded that nothing stays the same. Jim shared with me that, in spite of his original pen-sion agreement, the PBGC was allowing United Airlines to renegotiate pensions and Jim’s monthly payments were re-duced by more than half. In 2005, the federal government and the PBGC al-lowed United Airlines the largest corpo-rate pension default in American history. It was a slap in the face for all the UA re-tired employees and for Americans in general, at least the ones who were pay-ing attention. A history lesson is important here. Over the past 80 years, the federal gov-ernment has encouraged American em-ployees to retire with some degree of fi-nancial security. The first monthly Social Security Retirement Benefits began in 1937. In 1974, the federal government passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, ERISA, to encourage private sector employers to offer retirement pro-grams for employees. ERISA rules re-quired the formation of the Pension Ben-efit Guaranty Corporation, the “PBGC”. The PBGC is a federal government agency responsible for guaranteeing benefits of pension plans, operating as an insurance company. It’s important to remember that there are 2 primary types of private industry retirement plans. One type includes 401(k) and 403(b) plans which have regulations on deposits into the accounts and the employees take the risk of growth; these are not pensions. The other type is the traditional pension which has regulations on the payments out of the plan and employers absorb the risk through the PBGC insurance. Many labor unions and large corporations still offer pension plans. As I mention above, the PBGC is an insurance company and is not funded by taxes. It collects insurance premiums from employers and invests in market instruments so the funds may grow to cover future, guaranteed pen-sion payments. Pension payments are adjusted yearly for the 28,000 active pen-

sion plans in existence as of 2012 and the 34,000,000 pension participants. As of 2010, retirees at age 65 may, or may not, as we’ve seen in Jim’s case, receive a max-imum of $4,500 per month. At ages above age 65, the guarantee increases. So, that was the good news. Here comes the bad news. We have a popula-tion of over 300,000,000 Americans and we are in transition to having 2 active workers for each 1 retiree. In fact, virtu-ally every developed country must face these cruel facts primarily because of the aging Baby Boomer Generation. Theo-retically, the younger working genera-tion pays into the system so the older re-tirees will continue to receive their retire-ment benefits. At this ratio of 2:1, it’s go-ing to be very difficult. As of 2008, the Pension Benefit Guar-anty Corporation has an $11,000,000,000 deficit. That’s right. 9 zeros. Active plans now have $47,000,000,000 of underfund-ed liabilities. This is a nightmare waiting to happen. If you are relying on your employer’s pension plan and your government’s protection to assure that your retirement will match your dreams, think again. Re-cent economic challenges and the wounded stock market are hurting ev-eryone. Is this possible to overcome? Ab-solutely. There are solutions in the mar-ketplace. These solutions include:

1. Use conservative “investment” strat-egies with guarantees.2. Take control of your own financial se-curity and future.3. If your advisor has not explained these issues to you, find someone who knows.4. If someone calls you about the latest, greatest stock news, hang up!5. Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.

Central Texas Independent Insurance DBA CTI Insurance & Risk Management. pro-vides risk management and insurance ser-vices. www.ctiinsurance.com Link up with us at www.linkedin.com/in/angiesmuckerAngela P Smucker © 03/2012SOURCES: www.pbgc.gov, www.usatoday.com

Like father, like sonSubmitted to Construction News

Early indications are that plumbing must run in the Ganske family.Sixteen-year-old Kaigen Ganske recently took first place in the Texas SkillsUSA

Championships for plumbing, and will compete at the national level.The Richland High student is the son of Scott Ganske, owner of Ganske & Son’s Plumbing in Fort Worth, and the grandson of Bryan Ganske, owner of Bryan’s

Plumbing in Richland Hills. –ms

The 16th Annual AIA Dallas/ACME Brick Golf Tournament at Texas Star Golf Course punctuated late spring for the association. The sold-out tournament

brought architects, engineers, vendors and a variety of industry-related players together to compete. L-R: Perkins+Will’s team of Steve Milner, Patrick Glenn;

Cary Garner and David Collins took home the coveted Firm Trophy. –ms

Golfing, architect styleSubmitted to Construction News

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 7

BAFFIN BAYLAGUNA MADRE

LAND CUT

SPECKLED TROUT

REDFISHFLOUNDER

FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

STEVE SCHULTZOUTDOORS, LLC

(361) 949-7359www.baffinbaycharters.com

steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com

U.S. Coast Guard &Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed

Wounded warriorson the water

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Sponsored by:Majek Boats, Premier Yamaha Boating

Center, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing, Pflueger Reels,

All-Star Rods, Mirr-O-Lure andColumbia Sportswear.

As we enter into the heart of the sum-mer, we must adjust our game plan

on a daily basis and stay focused on our tasks each day. Water clarity changing daily due to wind speed and direction can make staying on fish a challenge. All of this, combined with the added pres-sure of our brown tide conditions, makes my decision difficult, to say the least, as I push away from the dock each morning.

Last month I had a chance to be a part of an outing during the Texas Deer Association (TDA) Tournament that in-cluded a group of gentlemen who were injured in war while serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. Combat Marine Outdoors (CMO), established in 2005, helps these wounded warriors get away from the hospital, in an environment of friendship, camaraderie, and fellowship with fellow Marines in order to accelerate their recovery from the traumatic injuries they sustained in combat. In many cases, these service members did not want to

MgySgt Arturo Garcia and LCpl Ronald Sullivan display another keeper trout caughtsouth of Baffin Bay with Capt. Steve Schultz.

LCpl Hector Luna Rodriguez caught this nice 22” speckled trout during the outing with Combat Marine Outdoors and Steve Schultz Outdoors.

leave the confines of the hospital, but it was (and is) crucial to begin to re-incul-cate back into society. Combat Marine Outdoors, headed up by Rusty Hicks and MgySgt Arturo G. Garcia set-up this fish. My heart really goes out for these he-roes who have sacrificed so much for our freedom, and I was proud to be a part of their healing process by getting them out on the water. This was just one of the adventures that some of these guy expe-rience thru Combat Marine Outdoors. There are tens of thousands of patriotic Americans who truly care about these brave warriors and are willing to show their appreciation and support by pro-viding once-in-a-lifetime adventures in some of the most incredible places in the world. The camaraderie, friendship and fellowship associated with each outing have had an incredible healing property and, in many cases, were a turning point in the emotional recovery of these Ma-rines, Sailors and service members. If you have access to a ranch or special hunt and would like to provide your services to CMO, feel free to contact Rusty Hicks at 713-419-6023.

I’d like to express special thanks to all that were involved in putting this adven-ture together: Captains Mike Hart, Mike Singletary, Chuck Mathews, Mike Schultz, Ryan Joyce, Ernie Butler, Mike Moore and Kelly Bell. Sponsors included Holiday Inn Sun Spree, Snoopy’s Pier, Aggregate Haulers, E-Z Bel, Bear Ready Mix, Traugott Painting, Holes of San Antonio, Capital Concrete Pumping, Marker 37, and Clem’s Marina. Without the generous support from these folks, adventures for the wounded warriors of our country wouldn’t be possible.

For more information or to schedule your next bay fishing trip, give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-949-7359 or 361-813-3716 or email him at SteveSchul-tzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good Luck and Good Fishing.

Page 8 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Half or Full Day Fishing Trips

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Your catch Filleted andBagged for You

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and WE DO THE REST!

Ken Milam Guide Service(325) 379-2051

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Ken Milam’s Fishing LineSponsored by Tropical Marine and Honda Marine

My name is Ken Milam and, for the past 26 years, I have been guiding fishing trips for striped bass onLake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity of getting to know

a good many folks in the construction trade.

Do you step outside after work and wonder how it could get so hot? Have you noticed that you feel

ready for bed and it’s still light outside? Maybe the cal-endar shocked you this morning. It seems like it should only be April. That, my friend, is summer slipping up on you! Come on now, it happens every year; it shouldn’t come as a surprise. I think the last couple of years have been extra tough on everyone though. We are redefining the way we work and go about life as we adapt to our new economic climate, so we don’t have much time for things that take care of themselves, like the passing of the seasons. Trust me, you don’t want to let summer pass you right by without getting a good taste of it. This is very true if you have kids. I know summer can be a hectic blur of childcare, athletic competitions and lessons for everything from flute to tae kwon do. Listen to me now when I tell you that the days of stinky baseball shoes, little girl tea parties, braces, and seas of laundry and dirty dishes will pass you by all too soon. I know, I remember people telling me that when my kids were growing up too. I remember thinking that grown kids couldn’t come soon enough. Those older folks were exactly right though; kids don’t stay little but just a short while in your life. I guess the reason this comes to mind for me is that as a charter-fisherman, every year I see a rush of people who seem to realize that summer is winding down only a week or two before school starts again. That is when the panic sets in and everybody tries to get out with the family before they run out of summer. Sending the kids to camp is fine, but spending time with them yourself is more important by far. You are not safe if you don’t have kids, either. Haven’t you seen the beginning of dove season or deer season arrive before you realize that you never even wet a hook this year? Now you know you need to get control of the situa-tion. You need to work you in some playtime this sum-mer. It doesn’t matter if you want to travel or sit in the backyard with your feet in a wading pool and a cold

beverage. If there is something you have an itch to do, you will be better off to just find the time to go do it. Your work and responsibilities will still be there when you get back, but you will be more able to deal with it all after you have a break. You know I’m right. The fish are biting good this year and the weather is a little milder than last summer. Deals and discounts for places to go and things to do are easy to find and don’t forget what a bargain our won-derful state park system can be. You can be as fancy or frugal as you need to be. The idea is, don’t let this sum-mer pass you by!

Have you noticed thatit’s summer?

Publishing the Industry’s News . . .

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 9

Eight Texas lakes have been ranked in the top 100 best bass lakes in the United States according to Bassmaster magazine. Two Texas-Mexico border

reservoirs, Falcon and Amistad, made it to the top ten list as the number one and number six best bass lakes, respectively. Texas lakes on the list with their rankings include:No. 1: FalconNo. 6: AmistadNo. 15: Toledo Bend (shared with Louisiana)No. 19: Sam RayburnNo. 26: ForkNo. 39: Choke CanyonNo. 64: ConroeNo. 88: O.H. Ivie “The list was compiled in a months-long process that included research from state fisheries agencies, nominations from B.A.S.S. Federation Nation tourna-ment organizers and a panel of widely traveled profes-sional anglers, fishing writers and others,” stated a press release issued by B.A.S.S. Falcon is legendary among professional bass an-glers for its winning four-day bag of 132.5 pounds dur-

Cherie Foerster, education director for the P.A.C.E. program at The Builders’ Exchange in San Antonio, shows off a 10-lb,

2-oz largemouth bass she caught at Choke Canyon.

Texas tops best in bass lakesing the 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series tournament. Tourna-ment winning catches regularly average eight pounds per fish. The eight reservoirs in Texas making the top 100 list are the most for any state. Florida has seven. “This supports the opinion we’ve long had that Tex-as has the best largemouth bass fishing in the nation,” said Dave Terre, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division chief of research and manage-ment. “The aggressive Florida largemouth bass stocking program in Texas coupled with the outstanding efforts of our fisheries biologists who direct our management efforts are responsible for making fishing great in Texas.” Bassmaster editor James Hall said the rankings are based on a variety of factors, not just opinions. “The method was as scientific as we could make it,” he said. The 100 Best Bass Lakes list used state fisheries agencies electrofishing and creel survey data, tournament catch data and accessibility and fish stocking practices. The fi-nal list was developed by a panel that considered the cur-rent fishability of each lake, its history, big fish catches, overall quantity potential and the aesthetics of the sur-rounding area. –dn

Picture this: You’re out on your deer lease, amped up for a great weekend of hunting. But suddenly, you’re stopped in your tracks. You see a wounded

fawn, and its mother is nowhere to be found. You figure it’s likely its mom has died. What do you do? Nothing? Take it home and moni-tor it? Call an organization that rescues and cares for wildlife? If you picked the last answer, Lynn Cuny, founder of Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Kendalia, would likely give you a nod and a reassuring smile. Cuny, who 35 years ago founded a nonprofit wildlife rescue organization that takes in and cares for animals from all over the United States, said wild animals are of-ten inadvertently harmed when well-meaning people try to take them in themselves.“People will take a fawn home and give it cow’s milk, and it will have massive diarrhea and cannot be saved,” she said. This can especially be problematic at construction sites, where the area being developed is often home to many varieties of fauna. “Those trees are someone’s home,” said Cuny. “Don’t do anything. Just call us. “ A sanctuary for creatures Tired of seeing wild animals exterminated, Cuny made an executive decision in 1977 – she was going to form an organization that would help wildlife. “I knew there was a more humane way to help and save them – not just doing away with them,” she re-called. “If you want something right you’ve got to do it yourself, so I started a nonprofit organization to help them.” The 187-acre piece of land that contains the organi-zation’s various facilities and sanctuaries, which was purchased thanks to a $1 million donation from an indi-vidual, serves as a utopia for a wide range of animals. Nestled in the Hill Country between San Antonio and Blanco, the land is home to about 600 animals, including

cows, mules, donkeys, pigs, monkeys, mountain lions, geese, ducks, sheep, goats, bears, parrots, raccoons, foxes, lemurs, ring-tailed cats and even a jaguar. Twenty-four paid employees, including a veterinari-an and a veterinary technician, keep the proverbial wheels turning. The organization, which rescues about 7,000 ani-mals annually, has its operations fueled entirely by do-nations. “We’re unique in that our scope of rescue is broader than most,” Cuny explained. “We don’t limit it to rescu-ing native wildlife, even though that is our focus as far as numbers and budget. We rescue animals out of farms, laboratories and the pet trade. “What makes this place go is the mission itself. We’re all here to serve, to rescue animals, and to protect ani-mals. We’re here to take care of them and release them back into the wild. If they can’t be set free in the wild, this becomes their home.”

How to call, how to help Visits to the Kendalia sanctuary are not encouraged and seldom allowed. “This is the private home for these animals,” Cuny said. “It would be like if a stranger walked into your liv-ing room.” However, help is needed, and donations are always welcome. Donations can be made by visiting www.wild-life-rescue.org, or mailed to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilita-tion, PO Box 369, Kendalia, TX 78207. And, of course, if you see a wild animal in trouble, call their hotline at 830.336.2725. You can also contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. For native wildlife (deer, raccoons, birds and other creatures), local help is also available. A list of rescuers and rehabilitators for each county is available at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/rehab/list/. Whatever you do, if you see an animal in trouble, the best thing you can do is pick up the phone, she said. “It all starts with a telephone call,” she said. –ms

Keeping our wildlife safe

Monkeys – former pets, former laboratory subjects and carnival/circus acts – often find their way to the Kendalia sanctuary.

Mountain lions – many missing their fangs or claws as a result of the pet trade – have a safe place to rest and roam.

A tortoise enjoys a colorful salad at the sanctuary in Kendalia.

The sanctuary has become home for a few peacocks.

Animals are also rescued from farms.These sheep are staying cool in the shade.

Page 10 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Most people have had part-time jobs as teenagers. Many of us don’t go back to work there as

adults, though. And suffice it to say, it’s even less likely that one buys the busi-ness that gave him his first job. Unlikely, but not impossible. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mark Mancill, owner of Taylor Rental in Plano, which is celebrating its 40th year. “I started when I was 14 in 1980 and worked here after school and on week-ends when I was in high school, and dur-ing holidays in college,” said Mancill, a Tarleton State grad. “I came back after (finishing school) because Dwayne Ap-pleton was a great boss. He treated me like family and everybody else here, too. “It’s always been like a family busi-ness because employees have always worked here for long periods of time.” That continuity continues today at the business, which employs 11 people and rents equipment ranging from a 51-foot boom lift to trenchers to plumbing equipment.

40, and still going strong

“We’ve still got lots of long-term em-ployees,” Taylor noted. “It’s always fun. There’s never a dull moment. “When I go on vacation, I look forward to getting back to work. Love getting away, but can’t wait to get back, either.” He doesn’t regret his decision to pur-chase the company from Appleton in 2004, saying it’s been a good ride. “After a serious talk with my wife, Terri, she told me to go for it,” he recalled. “I told her I’d be putting everything I had into it and I’d be broke, but she said she’d been broke before, and that was OK. I haven’t looked back, and it’s been good.” When he’s not leading his staff, the Mancills love to cool their heels at their cabin in southwestern Colorado. “We ride motorcycles, 4-wheelers, fish and just hang out,” he said. “We cast fish and fly fish. Fly fishing is way more challenging than anything else.” The company is planning a banquet to celebrate its 40th year. Friends and longtime customers will be on the guest list. –ms

Mark Mancill, second from right, convenes with his staff in front of construction equipmenthe has available for rent at Taylor Rental, a business he purchased in 2004.

Here to serveConstruction News ON LOCATION

L-R: Leo Erives and Jason Derrick at Ferguson Waterworks in McKinneydefinitely take handling the public seriously. How do we know?

Because the pair of counter salesmen actually delayed going to lunch to letConstruction News take this photo! –ms

Three amigosConstruction News ON LOCATION

The photo-friendly crew at H&E Equipment Services Hi-Lift Division in GrandPrairie definitely gets along well. Happy to pose for a picture are, L-R: Cassie Farrar,

parts service administrator; Andrew Johnson, rental coordinator;and Daniella Rea, service administrator. –ms

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 11

Electrical IndustryCan we create more efficientdata centers?

Beth Margulies, Communications DirectorNational Electrical Contractors Association(NECA)Bethesda, MD

Ever wonder what’s happening to some of those de-commissioned warehouses and manufacturing fa-

cilities that once provided the lifeblood of small, far-flung communities? It turns out many of them are becoming the next generation of data centers, the “server farms” of digital storage that host Internet “clouds” keeping everything from corporate records to family photos.

As the need for digital storage space expands, the facilities that house the computer equipment, along with its nec-essary security, HVAC, lighting and com-munications infrastructure, are growing in size, as well as their demand for power. The Environmental Protection Agen-cy (EPA) predicted power consumption in data centers would double between 2005 and 2010. The actual increase in consumption was only 56 percent, in part, because of a slowdown in the econ-omy and because computer chips are be-ing designed to consume less energy. However, electrical contractors prepar-ing to enter the data center market should understand that energy conser-vation is going to be foremost in the owners and operators’ minds. Let’s look at a few of the factors that affect data centers’ demand for power.Reliability and Redundancy Reliable, clean power is critically im-portant to data centers. Companies stand to lose billions of dollars and employee

work hours if servers go offline due to a flicker in power. When it comes to data centers, redundancy means a data center has at least two sets of every component, including uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) and power distribution units (PDUs). The requirement for such redun-dant systems is based on the utility source that feeds the data center. Gener-ally, standard utility service can’t be sole-ly relied upon, and most data center op-erators aren’t willing to accept a single source of redundancy as enough. The need for redundancy and reli-ability comes at a high price, however. The mega data centers created during the dot-com era run off of 500–600 watts [W] per square foot, while a typical commer-cial building operates at around 30–40W. As time passed and the economy changed, data center operators began to realize that even though redundancy and reliability remained vital, such measures could be scaled back. The tremendous electric bills caused by the demand for

redundancy has led many data center de-signers to rethink the term “necessary,” and data center systems, such as redun-dant ones, are being re-evaluated for both more efficiency options or their ne-cessity.

Cooling and Energy-Efficiency In data centers, keeping equipment and operators cool counts for upwards of 60 percent of the center’s power bill. Computer equipment puts off and is sus-ceptible to heat – and because heat can affect the equipment, cooling systems often have to be redundant as well. Costs have increased as servers have become more dense and higher powered. Integrating the data center’s build-ing systems has been part of the solution for controlling costs. Upgrading compo-nents to more efficient models has been another. Integration allows for the moni-toring of power flow, lighting, HVAC, alarms and controls. When these systems are tied together, integration allows alerts to be sent multiple places at the same time to get problems solved. Chris Smith in On365 cites replacing outdated cooling technologies and methodologies that can reduce facility cooling costs by 90 percent. “The most compelling technology seen lately is the fresh air evaporative cooling,” he recently wrote. “It combines external air with me-chanically generated hot air to create the right temperature. The hot air is then ex-tracted from the server room and mixed with cool outside air. This eliminates the need for electricity to cool a server room, which is often more energy-intensive than the main computing equipment it-self.” Facebook’s 320,000-sf data center in Pineville, OR, constructed by DPR uses

such a system and earned a LEED-Gold certification in 2011. Another way data centers are work-ing to minimize power consumption is through more effective cabling. New standards coming reflect these changes, Claire Swedberg recently wrote in ELEC-TRICAL CONTRACTOR: “Category 5e will no longer be recognized for horizontal cabling, while Cat 6 and 6a balanced twisted-pair cable types are permitted. For fiber optics, the revised standard will specify a minimum of OM3 for multi-mode optical fiber cable. Recognized op-tical fiber connectors also will be ad-dressed.” Networking equipment is getting denser, and port counts in the data cen-ter are increasing, making, managing ca-bles connected to these devices more of a challenge than in the past. Multifiber push-on (MPO) cable assemblies are de-signed to simplify cable management by providing a single connector at one end of the cable and multiple duplex break-out cables at the other end. However, electrical contractors can’t forget the cables connecting the inte-grated building systems for maximum energy efficiency. Contractors can ex-pect that, as networking equipment con-tinues to become even more dense, man-aging the cables that connect the tech-nology will become even more compli-cated. New facilities and retrofitting ex-isting centers will require contractors to build flexibility into their plans. The National Electrical Contractors As-sociation comprises 119 local chapters through the U.S. and promotes advocacy, education, research and standards develop-ment for its members and the industry. –dn

What’s the current condition of the construction in-dustry? Alterman is a member of The Electric Roundtable made up of nine companies from Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Indiana, Missouri, Louisi-

ana, California and Texas. The principals meet three to four times a year and share best practices and information including the work situation in their respective areas. From our discussions, the national scene is still very slow, but there are some indicators that work is beginning to pick up.

Responding to the changingneeds of the industry

John C. Wright, PresidentAlterman, Inc.San Antonio, TX

San Antonio has been fairly steady for us since the decline that began here a few years ago. There does seem to be a more competition these days but those of us that are here are fortunate to be in San An-tonio. There is still a lot of opportunity in the government arena and we are seeing more private projects in the area. A lot of people are working hard to attract new corporate clients, healthcare, specialty hospitals, mission critical facilities, manu-facturing and others. The Eagle Ford Shale is also providing opportunities for con-tractors in South Texas.What are the hot button issues in the electrical contractor industry?

They would include pre-planning, prefabrication, LEAN project delivery methods, and the use of technology. With today’s fast track schedules, all of the above help improve labor efficien-cy, reduce manpower peaks and reduce scheduled installation times. Alterman has the resources in house to provide these services and a 12,000-sf prefabrication facility but not everyone does. There are service providers and manufacturers that can provide most of them and almost any stage of prefabrica-tion from components to systems.How is technology impacting the in-dustry? Keeping up with changes in technol-

ogy is very important. We are seeing more Building Information Modeling (BIM) used on projects, especially those where the contract delivery method is an RFP pro-cess. The general contractor, design team and major subcontractors work together to build a BIM model that’s fully coordi-nated. This coordination reduces rework and adds value to owners. The use of technology in our industry will only increase. How we integrate tablet PC’s, Trimble, Vela, Smart phones and oth-er devices into our everyday operations to improve both office and field productivity is something we all need to address.What other challenges does the indus-try face? The most important challenge is how we manage the safety of our work force and continue to reduce workplace injuries that effect us economically and impacts our employees and families. The upcoming retirement of the baby boom generation and attracting talented people to the electrical contracting indus-try is another significant challenge our in-dustry must face. It will be incumbent on electrical contractors to address this by focusing on recruitment, training and mentoring new employees and younger staff members in order to get them ready to take on greater responsibility and lead-ership roles in our organizations.How has green building changes im-pacted the electrical industry? The focus is on energy consumption

(LED lighting) and energy savings (DALI and other smart lighting controls, occu-pancy and daylight harvesting, window shades, etc.). LEED and green initiatives are also driving manufacturers in our in-dustry to address these social and envi-ronmental issues in the composition of the materials they use and the engineer-ing of products. What are keys to being successful? Our philosophy is, add value to our customer’s projects and “Do what you say you will do.” Our people believe and prac-tice those values. Another key for us is continuous im-provement. To be successful, a business must continuously improve its processes, procedures, technology and customer service. Our former owner, Dick Alterman told us, “If you continue to do business the same way year after year, in five years you will be out of business. Alterman, Inc. is a San Antonio electrical and voice / data communications contrac-tor. Alterman has been an employee-owned company since 1984, and provides complete installation expertise, 24/7 service, in-house design / build and Building Information Modeling and fast-track construction for a wide range of electrical needs, as well as voice and data communications systems, video, access controls, security and surveil-lance systems and alternative energy solu-tions for LEED certification. –dn

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Page 12 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Where would you like to

live?

The Marriott Hotel at the Dallas/Fort Worth Interna-tional Airport on June 5 provided the setting for the 2012 Dallas-Fort Worth Masonry Contractors

Association’s presentation of the Golden Trowel awards. The annual awards recognize the best of the best in

Governmental/InstitutionalDee Brown Inc. and David M. Schwartz Architects Inc.

Cook Children’s Medical Center

Industrial/CommercialMetro Masonry Construction and Omni PlanHighland Park Village Building F Center Court

Education Facility (college/university)Dee Brown and Beck Architecture

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel

Education Facility (K-12)Skinner Masonry and PBK Architects

Douglas Otto Middle School

Hardscape LandscapeTST Construction Services LLC and Newman, Jackson,

Bieberstein Landscape Architectsprivate residence screenwall

RestorationAccurate Masonry of Texas and Jacobs Engineering

GroupSouthmont Elementary School renovations

BlockJ&E Masonry and Natex Corporation Architects

New Carroll Middle School

Excellence in masonrymasonry construction and design excellence. Seven first place awards in various categories were presented to companies for projects they completed in 2011. The trophies were provided by Continental Cut Stone. –ms

I wouldn’t change anything. Even with the mistakes I’ve made, it’s all been a learning process and God’s blessed me so much I wouldn’t change anything. If I didn’t know what I already knew about Plano, I think southwestern Colorado would be my next choice.

Mark Mancill, Taylor Rental

The Dallas Fort Worth area is the best place to be. In the last three or four years, you see a lot of growth happening here. Anyplace in Texas is good, still booming, and I think it will be for the next year to come. We have a lot of land around here, you get around and you think, look at all this land.

Dianne Fletcher, Purdy-Mcguire

I’ve seen some pretty amazing places. I’ve run a marathon in every state in the US. Very wonderful towns big and small. And I suppose that if I got to choose any-where I wanted to live it would be a good university town with good access to transportation. Right now I would pick somewhere in the Denver area because that’s where my son is.

Debra Anglin, IDS

Honestly, for a family, I love Dallas, so I’d stay here. I did a lot of traveling for my company, so I’ve seen a lot. There are no property taxes, I love the weather, and my family’s here. It’s a good hub in the middle of the country.

Robby Brown, Perma-Pier

That’s easy. South Padre Island. I like to go fishing, and I’ve been going there since before all the hotels and vacation spots popped up. The fishing is still great there, though.

Michael Trice, IVEY Lumber Sales

Munich, Germany would be my choice. Why? I love the culture, and I’m a big soc-cer fan. I love watching the World Cup. And, of course, there’s great beer there!

Patrick Giese, IVEY Lumber Sales

I’m pretty sure I’d pick Hawaii. Actually, I know I’m going to retire there. My son lives in Honolulu and he loves it.

Frank Lujan, Kwal Paint

It would have to be Steamboat Springs, CO. I love to go there during the Summer.

Steven Greene, Kwal Paint

I’d pick Canada. We went to the area around the Canadian/United States bor-der a while ago, and I’d just love to go back. It’s very different, and very diverse.

Greg Cauley, HOLT CAT

I’ve never been to the Bahamas, but I’m pretty sure I’d like to move there. It would have to be someplace tropical with beaches.

Cassie Farrar, H&E

I just couldn’t say. There’s so much outthere. Daniella Rea, H&E

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 13

Round-UpAssociation CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

AIA - DallasAmerican Institute of Architects

July 10: CES: AIA Contract Review; Dallas Center for Architecture; Noon-1pm; $10 members, $50 non-members.July 16: AIA Dallas Chapter Meeting; Dallas Center for Architecture; 6-7:30pm. Free event.July 19: 2012 NTX Sustainable Showcase – Presented by AIA Dallas COTE, USGBC North Texas, CSI Dallas Chapter; Dallas Center for Architecture; 12:30-5pm; $45 AIA, USGBC, or CSI Members, $65 non-members.July 19: Architecture on Tap: Happy hour/panel discussion; The Mason Bar; 6-8pm; $12 pre-pay, $15 at the door. Visit aiadallas.org for more information.

ASA North TexasAmerican Subcontractors Association

July 1: ASA Membership renewals due.July 12: ASA Events Committee Meeting.10:30am, CEF, Room 129.July 12: ASA Membership Committee Meeting. Time and location to be announced.July 18: Sales Tax Seminar with Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLC – Pat McCown8:30–11am. CEF – Haas Room. Must be registered. $55/person ($50/person for 2 or more) Contact ASA at (817) 640-8275 or contact CEF at (972) 574-5200.July 26: ASA Monthly Membership Luncheon, Las Colinas Country Club, Irving.11am – BPI & legal message; 11:30am – Lunch & program. Members - $40 / $45 late registration. Non-Members, $55 / $65 late registration. Non-Members must pay in advance. Reservations required by July 20. Contact (817) 640-8275 or ladell@asa-northtexas.org.July 26: ASA Board Meeting,1:30 – 3:30 pm. Presidents Lounge, Las Colinas Country Club, Irving.

CFMAConstruction Financial Mgmt Assn.

July 19: Meeting, Las Colinas Country Club, 11:30am-1pm, panel discussion regarding the general state of the construction industry. Cost: Members - Free, Non-members - $50, includes lunch and 1 hr of CPE, contact Kenni Dwyer via e-mail, Kenni.L.Dwyer@efleets.com

IEC - DallasIndependent Electrical Contractors

July 7: Journeyman License Exam Prep Course (Eight Saturdays). (972) 550-1133July 7: Master License Exam Prep Course (10 Saturdays). (972) 550-1133July 14: Continuing Education–4 hr course for license renewal. (972) 550-1133 July 18: Continuing Education – 4 hour course for license renewal. (972) 550-1133July 28: Continuing Education – 4 hour course for license renewal. (972) 550-1133

NARINat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry

July 10: 6:30 pm at American Tile, 2244 Luna Road, Carrollton. RSVP by Friday, July 6. Everyone welcome.

NAWIC - DallasNat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

July 25: Networking Social, 6pm, at Sambuca 360, Located in the Shops at Legacy at 7200 Bishop Road in Plano. For more information or to RSVP: brenda.corbett@mccullough-group.com

NAWIC - Fort WorthNat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

July 19: Mini-Trade Fair @ Garden Restaurant at Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth. Fair – 5:30pm; Dinner – 6pm. $32. RSVP to Karolene Pittman kpittman@tsbyrne.com Call Sharon Murphy (817) 293-1931 to reserve an exhibit table.

RHCARegional Hispanic Contractors Assn.

June 28: RHCA Membership Network Mixer, The Alamo Restaurant, 5pm; no cost, contact Yolanda (972) 786-0909July 14: How To Start A Business, RHCA offices, 9am-12pm, FREE, Contact Yolanda (972) 786-0909July 20-21: OSHA 10 Hours, RHCA offices, Fri. 1pm-6pm/Sat. 7am-12pm, Cost $0 members, Cost $65 non-members, Contact Yolanda (972) 786-0909

USGBCU.S. Green Building Council

July 18: LEED Innovation & Pilot Credits: Demand Response. 11:45am. Contact the chapter for more information.July 19: North Texas Sustainable Showcase; Dallas Center for Architecture12:30pm – 5pm. Will focus on themes of water and energy conservation. Visit the USGBC website for details.

Rees Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce the elec-tion of Allan Parr, AIA, LEED AP to the position of chief ex-ecutive officer. Parr joined the firm in 2009 and was pro-moted to president in 2011. –dn

KAI Texas has add-ed Frank Mills, AIA, as a senior project manager in the firm’s Dallas head-quarters. Mills is a Registered Archi-tect and Interior De-signer with over 35 years experience in architecture, program management, and professional administration. He has man-aged world-class medical projects in the Middle East including the University Hos-pital in Dubai and a confidential Medical Center in Doha Qatar. He has served on the City of Dallas Urban Rehabilitation Standards Board, where he was vice chairman, as well as on the City of Dallas Electrical Review Board. –ms

The Regional Hispanic Contractors Association recently held The Day of the Construction Worker, an event where construc-tion workers are honored for hard work and atten-

tion to safety. At left is Construction Worker of

the Year Juan De Santia-go, Carrco Painting Con-tractors. Also pictured isSafety Champion of the Year Derrick Akau, KS-

WRP. –ms

A day for construction workersSubmitted to Construction News

Sky Creek Ranch was the place to be for golfers on June 4, when the Fort Worth Chapter of the National Association of Women In Construction (NAWIC) held its annual golf tournament. L-R: NAWIC Chapter Volunteers Samantha Tiller, Traci Robinson, Holly Green, Dena Rowland, Pat Meadors, Jacquelyn Kyle, Alich-ia Deatherage, Hilary Dennis Elizabeth Boswell, Peggy Bass, Traci Garner-

Davis, Donna Ciarkowski, Jennifer Clay, Lisa McDonald, Gracie Narey, Clau-dia Wade and Karolene Pittman. First place winners included Doug Spivey,

David Caldwell, Doug Wasik and Anup Tamrakar.Spivey also recorded the tournament’s longest drive.–ms

Ladies of the linksSubmitted to Construction News

Round-UpSubmissions

This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of

charge, as space allows. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Email (w/digital photo, if available)by the 15th of any month, for the

next month’s issue(published 1st of each month).

Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:

dfweditor@constructionnews.net

Page 14 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

She purchased the company in 1994 after being hired on as a receptionist in the 1960s. In the 1970s, she acquired stock in the company and worked her way up to serving as an officer on the board of di-rectors. While she didn’t purchase the com-pany until the 1990s, she had definitely been acquiring experience and educa-tion. Since she took over, she said the company has worked to diversify its cli-ent base – something she takes pride in. “You have these huge roller coaster

continued from Page 1 — 55 years, and a new location

continued from Page 1 — Some sage advice

continued from Page 1 — A new hospital for McKinney

ups and downs,” Fletcher said. “The les-son we learned from the late 1980s and early 1990s is the importance of staying very diversified. You can’t have just one or two types of projects or clients.” As for how they will celebrate their 55th anniversary, Fletcher says they plan to make it personal. “For our 50th, we actually went to each of our clients’ offices and had break-fast with them,” she said. “We have such a diverse base, and we like to keep it per-sonal.” –ms

After 42 years as Pate Engineers, Inc., the engineering firm with a diverse range of services now hails

by a new name: IDS Engineering Group, the company recently announced. With the buyout of founder Gary Pate finalized in 2011, the new name re-flects the firm’s evolution into a group of employee owners providing infrastruc-ture design solutions to land develop-ment, municipal utility district, and pub-lic works clients, said Debra Anglin, who has been with the firm 28 years and served as president since 2006. “We wanted to honor the employee owners,” she explained. “We’re now 100 percent employee owned, and it’s a broad base of ownership.” The company maintains offices in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San An-tonio. The name does not represent whole-sale changes to the company, however. The staff members providing civil engi-neering, surveying and consulting ser-vices remain the same. “Our clients can be assured that the

What’s in a name?

people staffing their projects are owners committed to long-term working rela-tionships,” Anglin said. “Unlike other en-gineering firms that have been bought out by national or international conglom-erates, the employees of IDS Engineering Group decided to write our own destiny. “Being employee-owned certainly makes every individual aware that the decision they make every day affects the viability of the firm and the bottom line.” The company is governed by a board of directors with a wealth of experience. Anglin, with 34 years experience, is president; Timothy Buscha, secretary, has been with IDS 9 years and has 20 years experience; Chad Abrams, trea-surer, has been with IDS 12 years and has 36 years of experience; Teague Harris, director, has 30 years with IDS and 36 years experience, and Tobin Maples, di-rector, has six years with IDS and 18 years of experience. “We think it’s important to have mul-tiple perspectives on the board,” Anglin noted. –ms

The name may have changed, but the faces at IDS Engineering Group won’t.

people and has steadily grown, he said. “Electrical work seemed like a good fit when I started,” he said. “You can put your time in an apprenticeship program, get your journeyman’s license, get your master’s license, and then open up an electrical contractor’s business. It’s not like being a doctor or a lawyer.” While Benton acknowledges today’s climate is a tough one to start a business, he offers the following wisdom for those

who might like to take a stab at it. “Think long and hard about it, be-cause if you don’t have kids, you have one now. It’s your baby,” he said. “If you’re not willing to put in all that sacrifice, it’s just going to lead to problems. “Before you start, if you’ve got a car payment, pay it off. If you’ve got bills, get them as cheap as you can. Because as the owner, you’re the last person to get paid.” –ms

Jim McSweeney, senior project manager, said the clover leaf building shape required complex field engineer-ing work, but said a good team approach led to a polished final product. “Each team member including own-er, architect, City of McKinney and sub-contract partners approached their indi-vidual tasks with a focused intent on co-operating on best approaches to getting work done and regarded each team member’s input as valuable,” McSwee-ney said. Ronnie Robertson was project su-perintendent on the hospital portion of the campus. RTKL was the architect. The hospital was constructed in just under 25 months, with construction wrapping up April 24. After construction began, LEED became a goal, and the project is on track for LEED Certified. Construction of the adjacent 117,000-sf medical office building, which is owned by Duke Realty, took place from June 2, 2011 to June 15, 2012. The building will house medical of-fices for cancer treatment, women’s ser-vices, and other healthcare needs. Among the biggest challenges of building the medical office, said Project Manager Jessie Haus of MEDCO, was co-

ordinating its completion with that of the hospital facility next door in time for a July 6 campus-wide grand opening. The two buildings connect via a ground-floor hallway. Todd Sills was the office building project superintendent. RTKL served as the architect for the core, shell and shared areas, while Perkins+Will was architect for tenant interiors. Zinser Grossman was structural en-gineer, Dale Caffey Engineers served as the MEP Engineer and Raymond L. Goodson, Jr. Inc. served as Civil Engineer on both the hospital and medical office building. “It was a pleasure working with Duke, RTKL, and all the subcontractors associ-ated with this project,” Haus said. “We had great communication and coordina-tion with all parties to make this project a success.”

MEDCO Construction was founded in 1964 as the construction division of Baylor Health Care System (BHCS). In 1984 MED-CO incorporated as a for-profit entity allow-ing the company to provide full-service construction services to other entities in ad-dition to BHCS. –ms

The 60-acre plot of land that is home to the new hospital and adjoining medical center provides ample parking and space for future growth as the community’s needs increase.

Past editions can bedownloaded at

www.ConstructionNews.net

Did youknow?

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012 Page 15

Lumber’s always been a big part of the construction industry, and these two guys at IVEY Lumber in North Dallas make sure contractors get the beams and planks they need to get the job done. L-R: Michael Trice and Patrick Giese, a

college student who is majoring in business. –ms

A beaming duoConstruction News ON LOCATION

Austin-based general contractor Journeyman Construction re-cently opened the doors to a new

office in the Dallas area in response to an increasing number of projects in the Me-troplex. The company’s newest regional of-fice joins existing locations in San Anto-nio, Corpus Christi, Diana and McAllen. The new office is located in Dallas at 10830 N Central Expressway, Ste. 315. “We are excited about opening the office in the DFW area. Our ongoing proj-ects with clients such as DART, Madison communities and Austin Bridge and Road can get more personal attention with the opening of the Dallas office,” said Sam Kumar, president. “It makes sense for us to open our regional office in the Dallas Fort Worth area with all the work that goes on there.” The new permanent office is led by new Regional Vice President Dan Vafa. Vafa brings to the team more than 15

Northward bound

years of construction management expe-rience overseeing all phases of multi-mil-lion dollar construction, renovation and remodels for hospitality and residential clients. “Dan and I have worked together successfully in the past,” Kumar said. “With Dan’s extensive background in hospitality and his aggressive marketing skills, we hope to get a good share of our revenues from that market.” Also joining the team are project managers and LEED accredited profes-sionals Art Waterman, a Texas A&M graduate with more than seven years ex-perience in commercial construction, and James W. Evans, who has three de-cades of experience. Holding down the fort is office man-ager Stephanie Sanchez. Journeyman Construction was found-ed in 1996. It employs more than 100 work-ers, excluding hourly personnel in the field. –ms

L-R: Arthur Waterman, project manager; Stephanie Sanchez, office manager; Jim Evans, project manager; and Dan Vafa, regional vice president.

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One for TexasSubmitted to Construction News

Space Center Houston called on Ahern Rentals to bring out the boomto help set up the full size replica of the space shuttle. The vehicle was

known as “Explorer” during the 18 years it was at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. –bd

Rays of sunshineConstruction News ON LOCATION

It was a rainy, gloomy summer day when Construction News made a visit toEquipment Depot of Dallas, but you couldn’t tell that from the friendly folks

working at that location. In good spirits were, L-R: parts specialist Eddie Bowman, inventory manager Carrey Caskey and mechanic Brad Wall. –ms

Page 16 Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jul 2012

Sixty-two teams of architects, de-signers, engineers, contractors and students stretched along Galves-

ton’s East Beach Jun. 2. Folks worked non-stop for five hours to meticulously sculpt sand piles for a chance to win the prestigious Golden Bucket Award. The 26th Annual American Institute of Architects Houston Chapter (AIA) SandCastle Competition is one of the world’s largest amateur sandcastle com-petitions. Teams began months in ad-vance generating ideas and developing designs. Judging of the sandcastles was rated on originality of concept, artistic execu-tion of the concept, technical difficulty, carving technique and utilization of the site. –ab

Photos by William Hebel

Fun in the sunBest Costume: CDI Douglas Pye: Enter the DragonMost Complex: Gensler: Beach WondersMost Lifelike: PDR: CUP PLETEBest Traditional: PGAL: Jack and the BeanstalkAIA College Challenge: Prairie View A & M University School of Architecture: Project XStars & Stripes: Spud Super Pac: Mr. Pota-to Head for PresidentBest Team T-Shirt: Texas Tech University College of Architecture: BananaLet the Games Begin: Walter P. Moore - Lego to Galveston

1st: Gold Bucket & Best Team Signage:Matrix Spencer Architects: Bedtime Stories by Mr. Sandman

6th: Honorable Mention: Rice University FE&P: Centennial Celebration

2nd: Silver Shovel & Most Hilarious: Dow Sandcastlers: Storytelling with Sand

3rd: Bronze Shovel: CDA Architects: Hugo

5th: Honorable Mention & Best Architectural: Colby Design: Rome Was Built in A Day

The gang’s all hereConstruction News ON LOCATION

HOLT CAT in North Dallas assembled a large group of employees whenConstruction News recently paid it a visit. A few of the crew members worried

they might not be photogenic, but we disagree.L-R: Greg Cauley, Rick Emerson, Gary Brinkmeyer, Herberto Rodriguez,

Keith Hene, Kevin Lewis, Kalil Mohammed, Byron Barry, Jason Hoffand Susana Sanchez. –ms