Houston Construction News June 2016

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PepperLawson Waterworks (PLW), a subsidiary of Webber LLC, has completed the Bridgeland Waste-

water Treatment Plant Expansion to 2.1 MGD. Howard Hughes Corp. is the owner. The plant provides wastewater treat-ment for the Bridgeland Development, which encompasses 11,400-acres for up to 65,000 residents and 18,000 single family homes in West Houston. Located in the Katy Prairie, the area provides refuge and foraging for resi-dent and migratory birds, mammals, rep-tiles and amphibians. Construction manager Chris Smith says the project involved constructing a new 1.5 MGD expansion to the existing 0.6 MGD wastewater treatment plant. “The expansion was needed to ac-commodate the growing needs of the Bridgeland community and to reduce the development's dependence on groundwater,” Smith said. “Every gallon

of water from the wastewater treatment plant is recycled into the lake. The waste-water treatment plant project is project-ed to reduce the use of recreational wa-ter by 70 percent annually, and drastically reduces the community's dependence on groundwater.” Smith says the process allows the re-use of the water as opposed to wasting it. “Prior to this technology, all waste-water treatment plant effluent was dis-charged into the adjacent Cypress Creek, which flows out to the Gulf,” he said. “Now 100 percent of this effluent is cap-tured and pumped back to the commu-nity lakes so that there is no longer a need for large volumes of fresh ground-water to replenish the lake system. In-stead the effluent reuse is used.” For the 7-Day Functional Test prior to bringing the new expansion plant in ser-vice, PepperLawson Waterworks used

The Bridgeland Wastewater Treatment Plant

Owner and president Steven P. McKinley founded Stripes & Stops Co. Inc. to start a parking

lot striping company in 1988, which has grown into many other areas. The company provides work on new and existing roads, parking lots, and air-ports in Houston and all over Texas. “We have put the right team togeth-er,” McKinley said. “Today, we have 44 employees. “In addition, I purchased another 15 acres at the beginning of the year since our business is expanding.” McKinley says his father sparked his interest to work in the pavement marking and traffic control industry. “My father had a concrete pipe com-

The Stripes & Stops Co. Inc. team is ready to have a productive day.

pany in Houston for 60 years,” he said. “He began manufacturing car stops in the early ‘80s. “I bought and installed car stops by the truck load from my father’s business. Several people asked me if I did striping. So I decided to get a striping machine.” In the early days McKinley worked nights and weekends while he had a full-time job. “I did this part-time for several years,” he said. McKinley started Stripes & Stops in a 1,000-sf warehouse in Houston. As the company grew, he purchased property on Greens Road and moved into a larger facility and warehouse that he built in 2002.

Architect Charles L. Chambliss founded his architecture firm in 1974 and incorporated the firm as

Chambliss Design Associates Inc. In 1995, the firm was renamed CDA Architects. To celebrate the recent 20th anniver-sary since the firm was renamed, CDA Ar-chitects held a family picnic, gathered at the Sandcastle competition and held a special celebration at TopGolf. “Twenty years can be a long time in this industry and we celebrated the mile-stone with 20 percent of our staff having been here from the time we started,” said President Ray A. Duerer, AIA, LEED AP. “It’s great to have a dedicated staff.” In 1995, CDA Architects had a staff of about 14 people and moved into a 3,400-sf office space.

The CDA Architects staff

“In the last 20 years, we grew to 27 employees and almost 11,000sf of office space,” Duerer said. “After 2008, we re-duced staff back down some and moved into a more fitting space. At 20 years of CDA, we have three partners, we are over our original size and in a much more con-ducive space to getting our work done in the 21st century and poised for more growth.” The firm is currently working on two significant projects: Valley Ranch Town Center and Saint Nicholas Schools. “Architecture is about creating the built environment but it is also about problem solving,” Duerer said. “Our staff generally loves what they do and we are

Page 2 Houston Construction News • Jun 2016

Rosenberg-based Holden Roofing employees enjoy the 70-degree weather in the morning before heading back to work. –ab

Roofing friends uniteConstruction News ON LOCATION

Owner Richard Allen spends the morning at the SS Signs shop in Fulshear. The company provides residential and commercial signs and banners. –ab

Sign saysConstruction News ON LOCATION

Getting in the zoneConstruction News ON LOCATION

Manager Hamzi loves meeting new customers at Tile Zone. He helps them find ceramic and porcelain tile, granite and marble. The company also does installations. –ab

Houston Construction News • Jun 2016 Page 3

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Houston Editor — Abby BeMent — [email protected] — 832-595-0091

The Houston Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Houston Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies in Houston 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 Houston 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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Century A/C Supply has opened a new location at 505 Stonegate Dr. in Katy. The manager is Karl

Conolly. On May 13, the company held a grand opening event complete with stands from vendors, a fajita lunch, free prizes and giveaways and a Kona ice truck.

A vendor shows a customer supplies at the grand opening.

“We had a great turnout at the event,” Conolly said. “The Katy area is growing and we saw a need to open a location here. Several of our customers live in Katy.” Century A/C Supply provides air condi-tioning and heating parts, equipment and supplies. –ab

Customers enjoy fajitas for lunch.

Smiles all aroundSubmitted to Construction News

Lockwood, Andrews & Newman Inc. (LAN) held its 4th annual crawfish event in May. Employees came out for food, fun and friendly competition. –ab

Chandra Franklin Womack, P.E.Owner & President

Aran & FranklinEngineering Inc.


Over the years, Chandra Womack has performed the windstorm de-sign on thousands of structures in

the Golden Triangle and Bolivar Peninsula. She has been project manager for disaster recovery related to Hurricanes Dolly and Ike, as well as the 2009 Bastrop wildfires. Womack represents the 14 first-tier coastal counties as a member of the board of directors for the Texas Wind-storm Insurance Association. She is a Texas Department of Insur-ance Windstorm Appointed Engineer and a member of the International Code Council, the American Society of Civil En-gineers and the American Institute of Steel Construction. She is also on the board of directors for both Texas Wind-storm Insurance Agency (TWIA) and Smart Home America. Aran & Franklin Engineering Inc. is a windstorm and structural engineering firm serving the Texas Gulf Coast since 1998.

Where are you originally from, Chan-dra? I was born in Dallas, then my family moved to Southeast Texas. My family had a little farm in Warren, just north of Beaumont. I spent most of my youth in Warren, so I burned up the roads between Beaumont and Warren. Anytime you needed anything, you had to drive to Beaumont.

What was it like growing up in War-ren? Warren is a small farming communi-ty. There is mostly forestry and logging industries in the area, but the majority of people in the community worked at the plants in Beaumont. Growing up on a farm in such a remote place, that was my first real exposure to engineering. We were always having to find a way to re-pair an implement or make something work without all the typical parts. In high school, I was a twirler and participated in the band, and graduated in 1991.

Describe your first jobs as a teenager? My very first job was working in the hay fields on our family farm. That was my motivation to go to college and get an office job! It was hard work! My paying jobs throughout high school were all working for aunts who were small business owners. These ladies set an example for me that would spark my entrepreneurial spirit.

Where did you go to college? After high school, I attended the University of Texas at Austin for two years. After a break to start and raise my family, I graduated in 2006 from Lamar University with a BS in Civil Engineering. I earned my Texas Professional Engi-neer license in 2010 and I am also licensed in Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York.

When did you join Aran & Franklin En-gineering? I started working for Aran & Franklin Engineering in 2004, but took over the company when my father retired in Janu-ary of 2013. My father and uncle founded the company in 1998. At that time, it was a small home-based business. They did all the engineering and my mom and aunt did all the paperwork. In 2002, my uncle died unexpectedly, so my dad decided to take over the busi-ness. He moved the company to a suite in Galveston, and he, my mom and aunt continued to push the business forward.

Where did you meet your husband? I met my husband though a mutual friend while I attended the University of Texas at Austin. He was studying History at Texas A&M University. We had a long distance love affair so we eventually decided to get married. I worked to put my husband through college then we started our family; hence, the 13-year hiatus between get-ting married and finishing my degree. But I’m thankful I had that time to learn about being an employee before becom-ing president and owner of my engineer-ing firm.

What did you do during that time? I worked for several banks and attor-neys. I did a lot of title, foreclosure and bankruptcy work. I realized very quickly if I didn’t work for myself or finish my degree I wouldn’t be able to move forward. My father suggested I finish my de-gree and eventually take over the com-pany. Since I was half way finished with col-lege, I decided to go for it. After I gradu-ated Lamar University, I went back to work full time, side-by-side with my fa-ther.

What important lessons did your fa-ther teach you about engineering? My father was a wonderful mentor to me. He worked for ExxonMobil for 25 years and when he retired, he and my uncle started the company. When I started there were 950 engi-neers that could do this type of work in Texas. He was considered one of the lead-ing engineers that could do this type of work. I consider him one of the best men-tors I could have aligned myself with even if he wasn’t my father. He taught me so much and really set the tone and repu-tation for our company. I have been very fortunate I have been able to maintain our good reputa-tion after he retired. When you go to school for engineer-ing, they teach you how to do engineer-ing and calculations but they don’t teach you how to manage people. Managing people was one of the hardest things my father had to teach me. He taught me how to service cus-tomers and run a business. As you grow a company, you have to balance different personalities and your time. You can be successful in performing engineering but operating a business is where many people falter. My mom taught me the crucial de-tails of business operations and an appre-ciation for those who manage this area of the business. We are all equally impor-tant.

Why do you enjoy what you do today? I really feel like the industry I am in is demanding, and I am able to make a dif-ference in the community. I am in a position now where I can impact legislation in not only my industry but all the peripheral industries that touch it. I feel like the things I do right now in my day-to-day business give me the op-portunity to not only provide engineer-

ing services but to impact construction and building in Texas.

What does it take to be successful in your industry? I think I spent 10 minutes in college learning windstorm and how to do wind-storm calculations. It was really skipped over. It is some-thing you really have to want to learn. There is a lot of collaboration be-tween other engineers and technical representatives in the industry. You have to work with them to learn their software and the technical aspects of their products to know how to do the work.

Do you and your husband have chil-dren? We have two boys named Greyson, 20, and Dane, 17. Greyson is attending Texas A&M University like his dad. Dane is a junior in high school and is still exploring what he wants to do after high school. Our nest is getting a little bit empty. Aran & Franklin Engineering is my baby now. I am nurturing this business to make it grow and be successful.

Do you and your husband like to travel? Yes, my husband and I like to work hard and play hard. I spend a lot of time working and when we have time to go, we go. We actually took a separate vacation this past December. I took a girls trip to New York City with my mom and niece. We had a great time seeing New York during Christmas. My husband and I typically take two or three trips a year. This summer we look forward to go-ing on a cruise to Scotland with the boys. I have to come back early because somebody has to get back to work! He and the boys will stay an extra week.

Where is a place you and your hus-band hope to visit one day? We would love to explore the gor-geous beaches, deserts and countryside

of Australia and New Zealand. We are huge rugby fans. Both our boys play rugby. Rugby is the national sport in Austra-lia and New Zealand, so we hope to travel there in the next four or five years and see some matches.

Why do you enjoy living and working in the Gulf Coast area? The people are so friendly here. I have enjoyed meeting so many people in this area and in Southeast Texas. I love helping the community as a whole. My goal is to help make the com-munity stronger and better, both through improved engineering for struc-tures and through volunteer work, spon-sorships and scholarships.

What are a few of your favorite hob-bies these days? I am involved in a ladies group in my free time. We play bunco once a month. Bunco night is my biggest outlet when I am not working. I enjoy spending time with my fami-ly, reading and going to movies on the weekend. What are your future goals for the company? I am ambitious. I want to offer more services in the future. This year we started offering archi-tectural design services. Although there is a limit to what engineers can offer for design, we work within that limit and then work with architects if we want to go beyond that limit. We are trying to offer more pack-aged services so that we can make sure people have a one-stop shop where they don’t have to pull from different places to get their project completed. We are slowly adding in additional services either through our company or through partnerships with other compa-nies, such as surveyors, material testing, and geotechnical engineering. We want to make building projects as simple as possible and fulfill our cli-ent’s dreams. –ab

Chandra Womack (center) and the Aran & Franklin Engineering staff

The Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Houston Chapter Leadership Forum Graduation took place at the Houston City Club – Plaza Room May 13. Students were

honored for completing an intensive 18-week leadership program. –ab

Hats off to the gradsSubmitted to Construction News

Cool cookers


The Gulf Coast Green 2016 Sympo-sium and Green Product Showcase brought green building profession-

als together at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston Apr. 28. The Green Product Showcase fea-tured more than 20 product presenta-tions about green building. This year’s theme was smART Design: the intersec-tion of art, architecture and sustainability. Participating companies included Kirksey, Page, Sebesta, WHR Architects, Asakura Robinson Co. LLC, Big Ass Solu-tions, Brown McGregor Architects, Clark Condon Associates, CMTA Con-sulting Engineers, E & C Engineers & Consultants Inc., Gensler, HOK, Mit-subishi Electric Cooling & Heating, Stu-dio RED Architects, Texas Solar Outfit-ters, Trio Electric, View Inc. and Walter P Moore. –ab

Green inspiration

Attendees learn about trends in green building.

Designer Jimmy DiResta gives a presentation at the event.

One cool technicianConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Leo Martin, Bellaire Air Conditioning, installs air ducts at the AT&T store project on Hwy. 59. –ab

Marcos Ramirez and his wife Maritza have worked together since they moved to the Hous-

ton area. They got married 15 years ago. The couple owns Payless All Points Garage Doors in Katy. Maritza does the office work, takes orders and answers the phone and Marcos goes to commercial and residential jobs most days of the week. “My husband has done this type of work for about 25 years,” Ramirez said. “After he gained experience at another company, he decided it was time we went out on our own.” In the early days, the Ramirez’s worked at home and later moved to an office. “I love working with Marcos because we are able to stay close to home and if I want to spend time with our kids, I have the flexibility to do so. We have lived in the Katy area for years. This is a great area to live and work.”

Diligent duo

The Ramirez’s have three children ages 25, 19, 6. Their middle son, Osmin, is currently attending college and plans to do installation work at the company after graduation. “When we have free time, we are in-volved in our church and we like to travel when we get the chance,” she said. Going to Austin to visit family is a fa-vorite past-time. The couple likes to ride their motorcycle in the Hill Country when they are in the area. In addition they en-joy going on cruises together. “We have been on four cruises so far,” Ramirez said. “We like to leave out of Galveston or Miami and spend time in the Caribbean.” Looking ahead, Ramirez says she and her husband plan to continue running the company and hope their son Osmin will take it over one day. Payless All Points Garage Doors pro-vides residential and commercial overhead door installation and repairs. –ab

L-R: Maritza and Marcos RamirezThe BakerTriangle Houston office held its 8th annual employee cook-off at Thousand Trails on Lake Con-

roe in April. Office manager Angela Foster says 17 teams competed in five categories: fa-jitas, chicken, beans, ribs and brisket.

“There were games and fishing for the kids to keep everyone in the family involved,” Foster said. “The volunteers and organizers did a fantastic job!” BakerTriangle is a wall and ceiling con-tractor. –ab

BakerTriangle employees and guests have barbecue for lunch.

Baker’s Believe It or Not cooking team gathers at the bounce house.


Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Houston Chapter members met at a Membership Breakfast held at Constellation Field, home of the Sugar Land Skeeters, in March. The event

featured expo tables and networking opportunities. –ab

Breakfast clubSubmitted to Construction News

L-R: Branch manager Jeremy Seay and salesmen Jason Schoenfield, Tom Bielamowicz and Steven Simmons love their jobs at the Mueller Inc. Rosenberg

location. The company specializes in metal buildings, roofing and components. –ab

Mueller menConstruction News ON LOCATION

Electricians Rama Barrentos and Henry Landin, Crown Electric, look over plans at the All-Tex Networking Solutions remodeling project on FM 763. –ab

Installing outletsConstruction News JOB SIGHT

R&D Credit is backand better than before Jim Streets, CPAPKF TexasHouston, TX

Not only did the 2015 PATH Act restore and make per-manent the Research and Development (R&D) cred-

it under IRC Sec 41 it added new subsection IRC Sec. 41(h) which allows qualified small businesses to use the credit against payroll taxes. Prior to the PATH Act, the R&D credit could only be used against income tax, which did not make it attractive to most start-up companies that typically incur significant R&D expenses but no income tax.

Starting with tax years beginning in calendar year 2016, the new subsection allows a qualified small business to elect to use the R&D credit against payroll tax-es. Under IRC Sec 41(h) a qualified small business is a person, corporation or part-nership with gross receipts of less than $5,000,000 in the taxable year of the credit, and such entity did not have gross receipts for any taxable year preceding the 5-taxable-years, ending with the tax-able year of the credit. There are aggre-gation rules that apply. The election is made on or before the due date, includ-ing extensions, of the tax return for the taxable year and must specify the amount of the credit to which the elec-tion applies. The R&D credit elected to be used against payroll tax is limited to the least of $250,000, the amount of the credit de-termined without regard to the election, or in the case of a qualified small business other than a partnership or S corpora-tion, the amount of the business credit carry forward from the tax year deter-mined without regard to the election. The payroll tax credit election can only be used against the employer’s

share of the social security portion of FICA taxes. It cannot be used to lower the employer’s portion of the Medicare tax or any FICA taxes the employer withholds and remits to the government on behalf of employees. While the R&D payroll tax credit is limited, the credit against payroll taxes is not taken into account in determining the amount of income tax deduction al-lowed for payroll taxes. In other words, the payroll tax deduction is not be re-duced by the amount of the R&D credit elected to be used against payroll taxes. The R&D credit against payroll taxes is allowed for the first calendar quarter after the date the tax return is filed with the election. Any credit not used in the first calendar quarter will be carried over to the next calendar quarter. Many small businesses have payroll tax expenses but no income tax while they are in start-up mode which makes the new election to use R&D credit against payroll taxes an opportunity to get immediate benefit from the R&D credit. Jim Streets, CPA is a tax director for PKF Texas. Contact him at 713.860.1400 or at [email protected]

Eight ways contractors canimprove their surety programsTom Spencer, Construction Practice LeaderINSURICASan Antonio, TX

When working with contractors, one of the tell-tale signs to determining success is to take a look at

their surety program. Best-in-class contractors easily achieve the surety limits they need and have no issues

securing bid and performance bonds. They also understand how surety markets work and what bond underwriters are looking for when they receive submissions. While no contractor has control over outside influences such as the economy or market chang-es, there are specific things that best-in-class contractors do to ensure their surety program is functioning as smoothly and efficiently as possible. These eight tips are things every contractor should be doing to get the most from their surety program.

1. Work with a knowledgeable CPA who specializes in construction. Working with a CPA who under-stands contract surety is paramount to the success of any contractor. CPAs must be knowledgeable about percentage of completion or completed contract meth-ods of accounting in order to provide the surety provider with all the necessary in-formation that they require, as well as be-ing able to provide the required financial planning and tax advice to the contrac-tor. A thorough CPA will present a con-tractor’s financials in a professional and appealing way that makes a contractor more desirable from an underwriting perspective. 2. Work with a bank that is familiar with construction. Cash flow within the construction in-dustry can present some unique situa-tions and challenges. Working with a bank whose lenders and board of direc-tors understand construction finance can alleviate a lot of headaches and hassles to doing business. It is also a good idea to meet and familiarize yourself with the decision makers because lower level em-ployees can come and go frequently. 3. Pay attention to collections. After being awarded a job, one of the most difficult aspects of business is col-lecting payment for it. For this reason and others, contractors must be vigilant in paying very close attention to open re-ceivables. Best-in-class contractors make very clear what the payment schedule will be prior to the start of work and en-force their collection rules and guidelines. 4. Maintain a good understanding of the law. Laws regarding liens and stop-notic-es vary from state to state, and they fre-quently change from year to year. A sim-ple mistake can cost a contractor their rights, and in some cases, this can lead to thousands of dollars in lost revenue. In many situations, payment bonds may be affected, so surety companies must be aware that systems are in place to ensure there are no payment issues.

5. Get to know your surety underwrit-ers. Maintaining a good relationship and open communication with surety under-writers can make the difference between receiving a “yes” and a “no.” Meeting un-derwriters is a great way to build a per-sonal relationship and becoming a name instead of a number in a file.6. Make sure your staff understands finance. Having a staff that understands fi-nance can be the difference that ensures paperwork is processed efficiently and correctly—ultimately speeding up col-lections. A knowledgeable CFO can turn an accounting department into an effi-cient profit center, opposed to an ex-pense. 7. Make sure your professional service providers communicate with each other. It is a fantastic idea to make sure your lawyer, banker, accountant, and surety broker have professional working rela-tionships with each other. Not only does this allow them to work directly with each other, but with good communica-tion, changes that have been made to a project or surety program can be easily communicated between these people. The result is an ease of doing business as well as a lower chance for mistakes. 8. Choose the right surety broker. For the same reasons that a contrac-tor should choose accountants, lawyers, and bankers who understand construc-tion and surety, contractors should also choose an insurance agent who special-izes within the industry. A reputable in-dustry-specific agent will have better re-lationships within the surety marketplace and will be able to make program sug-gestions that improve your bottom line. Tom Spencer is the Construction Prac-tice Leader for INSURICA’s Texas offices. His experience as a life-long construction insur-ance professional gives him a unique un-derstanding of managing the risks facing the construction industry. Tom can be con-tacted at [email protected] or by phone at 210.805.5901.


OSHA IssuesRecordkeeping Rule ChangeJoann NatarajanCompliance Assistance SpecialistOSHAAustin, TX

Under a final rule that becomes effective January 1, 2017, OSHA will revise its requirements for record-

ing and submitting records of workplace injuries and ill-nesses to require that some of this recorded information be submitted to OSHA elec-tronically for posting to the OSHA website.

The final rule requires certain em-ployers to electronically submit the inju-ry and illness information they are al-ready required to keep under existing OSHA regulations. The requirement ap-plies to the following: Establishments with 250 or more employees that are currently required to keep OSHA injury and illness records must electronically submit information from OSHA Forms 300 — Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, 300A — Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Ill-nesses, and 301 — Injury and Illness Inci-dent Report. The electronic submission requirements do not change an employ-er’s obligation to complete and retain injury and illness records. Establish-ments with 250 or more employees in industries covered by the recordkeeping regulation must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017. These same employers will be re-quired to submit information from all 2017 forms (300A, 300, and 301) by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year thereafter, the information must be sub-mitted by March 2. Establishments with 20-249 employ-ees that are classified in certain indus-tries with historically high rates of occu-pational injuries and illnesses must elec-tronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A. Establishments with 20-249

employees in certain high-risk industries must submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017, and their 2017 Form 300A by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year thereafter, the infor-mation must be submitted by March 2. Establishments with fewer than 20 em-ployees at all times during the year do not have to routinely submit information electronically to OSHA. All employers re-quired to report online under this rule will report data annually. OSHA will post the establishment-specific injury and illness data it collects under this recordkeeping rule on its pub-lic Web site (www.osha.gov). OSHA will remove any Personally Identifiable Infor-mation (PII) before the data are released to the public. Employers must inform employees of their right to report work-related inju-ries and illnesses free from retaliation. This obligation may be met by posting the OSHA Job Safety and Health — It’s The Law worker rights poster from April 2015 or later (www.osha.gov/Publica-tions/poster.html). For further information on the new recordkeeping law, visit the OSHA web-site at: http://www.osha.gov/record-keeping/finalrule/index.html

[email protected] x232

At what point does a surety’sobligation pursuant to aperformance bond terminate?Tracy McCreight, ShareholderMunsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.Austin, TX

In general, the duration of the surety’s obligation under a performance bond can be limited by the express

terms of the bond, the bonded contract, or the statutory limitation provision for filing a claim. When these terms conflict, varying jurisdictions apply different rules of con-struction. The issue has not been extensively analyzed under Texas law (except as to public work projects under the Texas Government Code, which is addressed at the end of this article), so we look to other jurisdictions for examples.

• The AIA A312 performance bond form expressly provides that the perfor-mance bond obligation, when triggered by termination of the bonded contract, may be invoked for only two years after the principal’s default of the bonded con-tract. Consistent with this, in Kiva Const. and Engineering, Inc. v. Int’l Fidelity Ins. Co., 749 F. Supp. 753 (W.D. La. 1990), aff’d, 961 F.2d 213 (5th Cir. 1992), the court held that, under Louisiana law, this two-year suit limitation under the AIA A312 perfor-mance bond barred a claim later asserted for breach of a 10-year warranty con-tained in the bonded contract. Id. at 756. • In J.B. Mouton & Sons, Inc. v. Alu-mawall, Inc., 583 So. 2d 157 (La. Ct. App. 3d Cir. 1991), however, a surety was liable for a breach of warranty claim against the principal for a defect occurring six years after project completion because the per-formance bond (not an AIA A312 perfor-mance bond) explicitly incorporated Lou-isiana’s ten-year implied warranty of fit-ness for a building construction contract. • In Milwaukee Board of School Direc-tors v. BITEC, Inc., 321 Wis.2d 616, 622-623 (Wis. Ct. App. 2009), the bond’s one-year general warranty and two-year suit limi-tation provision were superseded by a specific five-year warranty on the roof in the bonded contract. In that case (which also did not appear to be based on an AIA A312 performance bond form), the court noted that the surety “could have negoti-ated for the inclusion of an express com-pletion date in the performance bond, a specific provision limiting its financial ex-posure, or one stating that any warranty language in the contract was excluded by the terms of the bond.” Id. • Similarly, in Sorenson v. Robert N. Ewing, General Contractor, an Arizona case, the court held that surety’s perfor-mance bond liability under an AIA 311 performance bond, absent express limi-tations, is co-extensive with that of the contractor, and includes contractually imposed post-completion warranties.

448 P.2d 110, 112-113 (Ariz. 1968). Whether the surety assumes perfor-mance of the construction contract may be another factor if there are conflicting terms in the bond and the bonded con-tract. In Cooper Industries, Inc. v. Tarmac Roofing Systems, Inc., 276 F.3d 704 (5th Cir. 2002), the court held that a two-year suit limitation on an AIA 311 performance bond did not prevent a surety from being sued within six years under the Mississip-pi six-year statute of limitations applica-ble to contract breaches. This is because the surety had taken over performance of the contractor’s contract and was sub-ject to the same period of liability as the contractor would have been in complet-ing the bonded contract. Id. at 711. The court specifically stated, “If [the surety] elected to take over the contract, it vol-untarily subjected itself to a new set of li-abilities apart from the bond.” Id. With respect to public work projects under the Texas Government Code, the Fifth Circuit specifically held in Hartford Fire Ins. Co. v. City of Mont Belvieu, Texas, 611 F.3d 289 (5th Cir. 2010) that “final completion” under the Texas Govern-ment Code means “substantial comple-tion,” and, therefore, the performance bond obligation terminates one year af-ter substantial completion. The court ex-pressly stated that “a surety on a perfor-mance bond is entitled to rely on the ar-chitect’s Certificate of Completion as the final discharge of its duty on the bond because the architect is the agent and representative of the owner, and his rep-resentation is the representation of the owner.” Id. at 295. As demonstrated here, there is no simple answer to when a surety’s obliga-tion terminates under a performance bond. Therefore, it is critical during the contract negotiation process to under-stand the express terms of the bond and bonded contract at issue, as well as the jurisdiction’s limitations on bringing claims.

The National Association of Women in Construction Houston Chapter (NAWIC) held an Industry Appreciation Night and silent auction at the HESS Club May 10. During the event, NAWIC Houston recognized sponsors, partners, distinguished guests and new members. L-R: Sandy Field, CBT, CIT, immediate past national president and Becky Richter, chapter

president. –ab

Thanks a millionSubmitted to Construction News

Caylee Ann Cowgill has worked at ParkUSA as a project manager for

the utility department since 2014. ParkUSA is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The company manufactures Engineered Environ-mental Equipment for water distribu-tion and wastewater applications. Cowgill says as project manager, she specializes in manholes, inlets, headwalls safety end treatments and catch basins. “I follow up calls and emails daily and estimate products per civil plans,” she said. “In addition, I do order entry and process submittals for customer review. I schedule delivery of products and focus on customer service.” Before joining ParkUSA, Cowgill worked as a project manager and sold commercial doors, frames and hard-ware for ten years. “I ventured out of the industry and came to ParkUSA looking for a new trade to broaden my skillset,” she said. Cowgill says she still measures, or-ders and installs frames and doors in her down time. Along the way, she says she has kept professionalism, passion and in-tegrity at the forefront of her career

Caylee Ann Cowgill Project ManagerParkUSA

Industry FOLKS

and mindset. “This industry has a cyclical re-ward,” she said. “We make it happen together.” Cowgill is a native Houstonian. She graduated from Holy Highway Acade-my High School in 2003 and North Har-ris Community College in 2006. “I have a boyfriend and I have two children plus his two, creating our fam-ily of six,” she said. “Our home front is never a dull moment.” When Cowgill is not at work, she treasures her spare time with her family and friends. She loves to spend time with her friends and family going to the movies, cooking, grilling outdoors, playing to-gether, reading stories, visiting parks and museums and traveling when pos-sible. According to Cowgill, her number one mentor is her father. “My father has always encouraged me,” she said. “He always tells me to take it one day at a time. I listened when he said do what makes me happy and work hard every single day!” –ab

Taking safety measures


HNTB’s legacy in Texas can be traced back to 1910, when a founding partner of the firm worked as part

of the design team on Austin’s historic Congress Avenue Bridge. More than a century later, the firm bridges the gap in their clients’ needs with architecture, en-gineering, planning and construction ser-vices offered through offices in 27 states. Not forgetting its roots, one of those states is Texas, where HNTB has seven of-fices, one of them in Houston. Houston office leader and vice president Michael Voinis PE leads a team of 70 profession-als as they work on high-profile transpor-tation engineering, transportation plan-ning, aviation, bridge, municipal and Tx-DOT program office projects. “HNTB has helped to shape infrastruc-ture and improve mobility in Houston since 1979 when it opened an office to be-gin work on the Jesse H. Jones Memorial Bridge over the Houston Ship Channel,” Voinis says. “HNTB and our clients are unit-ed in agreement that robust infrastructure is critical to the success of healthy commu-nities,” he continues. “We share a vision for an integrated urban transportation net-work that efficiently accommodates a broad range of mobility options – includ-ing driving, walking, bicycling and public transportation – and improves access to jobs, services, entertainment and recre-ation. Green space, including parks and trails, also plays a big role in this vision.” Current high-profile projects include the Port of Houston Asset Management Program, the I-45 North Environmental Im-pact Statement/Schematics for a 16-mile, $5 billion improvement project and the re-construction of 38 miles of US 290 from the I-610/I-10/US 290 interchange to FM 2920. Even though the firm focuses on high-profile projects, Voinis says HNTB also focuses on its professionals who do the work, ensuring that there are plenty

Driven to succeed

of opportunities for employee happiness and growth. It is something he has seen firsthand since he joined the firm this year. The team enjoys technical brown bag luncheons and a book club through the company’s culture of learning pro-gram. They stay active through co-ed volleyball and kickball leagues and office pick-up basketball games on Fridays. They gather at quarterly company happy hours, office ice cream socials and cele-bration events. Employees also volunteer with children’s literacy programs and Hobby Fest, an annual celebration of Wil-liam P. Hobby Airport in Houston. Maintaining employee satisfaction and retaining talent is crucial in helping HNTB resolve Houston’s future transpor-tation issues. “Given the considerable growth that Greater Houston anticipates, HNTB is committed to redeveloping our clogged corridors in a strategic way that promotes sustainable growth, preserves thriving neighborhoods and maintains a high standard of living for residents.” HNTB is an employee-owned infra-structure solutions firm serving public and private owners and construction contrac-tors. –mjm

HNTB’s Houston office leader and vice president Michael Voinis

Supporting OSHA's National Safety Stand-Down week May 2-6, local or-ganizations participated in Houston

Fall Prevention Safety Day May 3. TNT Crane & Rigging hosted the event. Attendees including owners, man-agers, general contractors, safety direc-tors, subcontractors and workers in the construction industry watched presenta-tions and demonstrations about prevent-ing falls. Door prizes announced at the event included safety equipment, gift cards and a big screen TV. Houston South Area Office OSHA U.S. Department of Labor, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Greater Houston, American Subcontractors Asso-ciation (ASA) Houston Chapter, Gulf Coast Safety Institute/College of the Mainland and Scaffold & Access Industry Association offered the event to the local construction industry. –ab

DBI-SALA and Protecta

ASA Houston Chapter

Gulf Coast Safety Institute

ABC Houston Chapter Safety CommitteeMedsafe

Attendees learn about safety equipment.


Fishing thru thesummer months

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Sponsored by:Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude Outboards, E-Z Bel Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate

Haulers, ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products, MirrOlure, and Columbia

Sportswear.

Well as most everyone knows by now, fishing continues to be fantastic in the Laguna Madre

and Baffin Bay complex. I have also seen the influx of more guides on the water in the last several weeks, so hopefully the depressed economy is picking up a bit. Most of the high water has receded now and hopefully tides will get back to nor-mal conditions for the upcoming sum-mer months. I am looking forward to a very busy summer on the water creating great fishing memories for my clients and friends.

As we approach the start of the sum-mer months, I will start fishing some of the deeper structures in the Baffin Bay

area and Yarbrough pass spoil islands. These structures are surrounded by deep water that give fish options to get out of mid-day warmer surface temperatures and escape early morning fishing pres-sure. As the day comes to an end, these fish will gradually move back on top to

the structure to feed during the night and early morning hours. Another area that is always a good option in the Emmrod’s Hole. This body of water has a natural gut similar to the one that runs from Pita Island into Beacroft’s Hole just north of the Pure Oil Channel. Generally

four to five feet deep with tons of grass and sand pockets, this area is great for drifting for trout, reds and drum during summer months. Along the shoreline of the King Ranch is also some of the best wading spots in the Laguna Madre for trophy specks and reds. Don’t be sur-prised if you snag a flounder or two when slow bumping your favorite soft plastic along the shoreline either.

Another overlooked area to fish that is relatively close to the JFK Causeway is Corpus Christi bay. This large body of wa-ter is one of the main thoroughfares for fish coming from the Port Aransas ship channel. Lots of these fish make their summer home in the CC bay area along the shorelines and deeper gas wells in the center of the bay. Not more than a 15-20 minute boat ride you can explore lots of deep-water fishing and wade the backside of Mustang Island for specks and red’s all while taking in the majestic downtown views. Also located on the backside of the island between Corpus and Port “A” is Shamrock Island. This popular area is known more for red fish-ing than trout because of the shallower flats that lay inside the cove. Shell reefs can also be found in this area. This area is also accessible from State Hwy. 361 and is easy access for Kayak fisherman. Don’t be surprised if you catch a nice speck in this area either.

Summer schedule is filling quickly but fall dates are still available. Don’t wait untill the last minute to book your dates. To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call or text at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Good luck and Good Fishing.

Shane Klar of San Antonio was pleasantly surprised when this 48-inch redfish surfacednear the boat on a recent fishing trip with VK Knowlton and Steve Schultz Outdoors.

They measured for a replica mount then released.

Run like the windSubmitted to Construction News

Employees of Rogers-O’Brien Construction, above, and McCarthy Building Companies, below, had fun participating in the 19th annual Sprint for Life 5K Run/Walk May. 7. The event supports The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s effort

to cure ovarian cancer. –ab


Half or Full Day Fishing Trips

All Bait, Tackle & EquipmentFurnished

Your catch Filleted andBagged for You

Furnish your TPWD FishingLicense & Refreshments,

and WE DO THE REST!Ken Milam Guide Service(325) 379-2051

www.striperfever.com

An omen?Submitted to Construction News

Construction News managing editor Cyndi Wright spotted this morning vision at the end of her driveway recently. Is it an omen? No, just a friendly buzzard letting all the other

buzzards know that the dead snake on the road was his! –cw

Off the hookSubmitted to Construction News

Chris Walters, Extreme Air Conditioning Services Inc., took his granddaughter Addi fishing near his bay house on Dickinson Bay in San Leon. –ab

Ken Milam’s Fishing LineSince 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8

AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com

This just in! On Saturday, May 21st the Texas Tournament Zone Tourna-ment was held on Lake Buchanan.

One hundred fifty teams fished the tour-nament and the results were astounding. First place stringer weighed in at 23.77 lbs. brought in by Adrian and Daniel Barnes. The Big Bass winner was 9.25 pounds, caught by the Koslan and Crum-ley team. For more info be sure to check out http://ttz1.com/, the Texas Tourna-ment Zone website!

Now here is the best part. Both the winning stringer and the big fish out-weighed the winners of the Bass Champs tournament held on Lake Amistad! Now that’s not bad for a lake where the bass were having to try to learn to walk to get around the lake bottom just a year ago.

If you have watched the Toyota ShareLunker program over the years you may have spotted a pattern. Very often the lakes that produce the best bass are lakes that have recently refilled after be-ing very low. Yep, that fits Lake Buchanan to a tee.

We had a clue about this soon after we moved our charter fishing operation back up to home base at Tow. Max Milam was just plinking around the newly re-claimed shoreline with new spinner bait and ended up in a nice tussle with a six pounder.

Lake Buchanan on track to kick bass!

We are seeing this happen with all the fish up here too. We have lots of cover and plenty of bait fish thriving in it and they are keeping the other fish well fed and well fed fish spawn well and grow fast.

We are catching good numbers of stripers and hybrids and seeing an im-provement in the size of those fish too. Catfish are spawning in the fresh muddy water and the fishermen love it. Crappie have all the structure to hide in they could ever want and the white bass are erupting on top water all over the lake like little thunderstorms chasing shad.

One thing that really caught on dur-ing the drought is kayaking for fishing and sightseeing. The willow trees stand-ing in the lake make exploration a lot of fun, not to mention there lots of little quiet secluded openings to call your own for fishing and birding.

Wherever you are, if you have a fa-vorite lake that has been through this same drought and flood cycle, you need to go wet a hook and check it out. It is a pretty good bet that any freshened up lake will produce similar results.

People are coming back to Lake Bu-chanan to run up to see Fall Creek falls again and catch the Vanishing Texas River Cruise to the upper part of Lake Buchan-an. That’s where you see the pretty, wild country and wildlife abounds. All you have to do is add great fishing to that and you have a great summer outing. It’s a good thing that school just let out!

ModernCrete

Tobolka

www.constructionnews.net

Have an outdoor photoyou’d like to share?

Send to:

[email protected] call Abby at 832-595-0091


Eagle eyesSubmitted to Construction News

In April, James Chapman, Regency Plumbing, photographed these two eagles high up in a tree near Lake Sam Rayburn in the early morning. –ab

Bump, set, spike

Employees from Marek and DE Har-vey Builders recently created a vol-leyball team so they can play after

work. Their team name is the One Hit Wonders.

The One Hit Wonders won their very first sand volleyball game at the Houston Sports & Social Club in May. Congrats! –ab

Marek and DE Harvey Builders employees have fun playing volleyball.

L-R: Lexi Stroescu, DE Harvey Builders; Samantha Averett, DE Harvey Buildersand Shannon Zweifel, Marek

The 7th annual Shooting for a Cure took place at American Shooting Centers Apr. 2.

The sporting clays shooting event raised $56,000 thanks to a silent auction, gun raffle and companies in the Houston construction industry who helped out including Diffco; Fabco, Shackelford Construction, Alvin Equipment, Best Redi-Mix, A Quality Trucking, Spring Sand and Clay, S. Thomas Construction, T Star Sawing & Drilling, Venable’s

Right on targetConstruction, Sage Environmental Construction and CEMEX. Since 2010, Shooting for a Cure has raised $250,000 to support Appendiceal Cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The annual event brings together those wishing to support loved ones who’ve been affected by cancer and those who knew and loved Ric Summers, for which the event honors in his memory. –ab

Sage Environmental Construction

Construction related company representatives shoot sporting clays.


Building a communityCities and towns around the world continue to struggle with the com-plex issues surrounding homeless-

ness. Many well-meaning plans directed at getting people off the streets and into permanent housing have failed again and again. But on a 27-acre tract of land in eastern Travis County, a faith-based program with a history of successfully housing homeless people has joined hands with the Austin building community to create something magical – Community First Village. Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF), which owns Community First Village, began with five parishioners of St. John Neu-mann Catholic Church in Austin. Now MLF, with plenty of volunteers, has opened a new concept in housing – most likely the first of its kind in the nation. “This project is the product of the most diverse group of contractors on the planet,” laughs Alan Graham, president and CEO of Mobile Loaves & Fishes. Meagan McCoy Jones, COO for Mc-Coy’s Building Supply, has been on the board of MLF for five years, serving one year as chairman. “Part of our job [as human beings] is to care for our neighbors,” she says. “As we got to know the people without homes in our neighborhood, we came to know Alan and the work of Mobile Loaves & Fishes.” When McCoy got involved with the organization it was already searching for a site for Community First Village. Around that same time, American Institute of Ar-chitects Austin Chapter (AIA) launched a competition called Tiny Victories, where architects and builders built tiny homes suitable for housing the homeless. Many of the homes at Community First are rep-licas of the winning designs from that competition. “McCoy’s has a relationship with many of the independent contractors, re-modelers and home builders,” McCoy says. “A year ago MLF had an event that hosted 40-50 builders at the village

where they met with the architects of the winning homes. We asked each of them to commit to raising $18,000 and to build-ing two homes.” Community First Village is well on its way to being a finished project, although there is still plenty of construction going on and more planned. The whole vibe of the Village is a spot-on reflection of what makes the nearby city of Austin such an eclectic and unique collection of people and places. “A profound catastrophic loss of fam-ily is the single largest issue of homeless,” says Graham. “We are creating a commu-nity within geographical boundaries, but also within the community at large.” The tiny houses are on one side (there are currently 120) and are colorful and odd - in a fun and good way. The creative and whimsical minds of Austin’s architec-tural community are clearly on display. On the other side are the RVs. In all, there will be 100. The RVs are slightly larg-

er than the tiny homes. Also on the site are 20 canvas-sided cottages. At the front are a selection of small RV’s and tee-pees that serve as a bed and breakfast for groups who want to come in and volunteer or attend sym-posiums on how the concept works. Re-cently, representatives from five U.S. cities were there for a multi-day symposium. There’s a blacksmith shop, a beauti-ful and just finished art center for micro-enterprise opportunities, an organic four-acre garden, and chickens, goats and beehives. Every Saturday there is a farmers market for residents to find fresh vegeta-bles and eggs for free. The Austin building community has stepped up and embraced the Village, a $14.5 million project. Many of the in-volved builders usually build high-end homes in the area, but Graham and Mc-Coy believe the builders are just as com-mitted to building superlative tiny

homes at the Village. “You have to expand your knowl-edge of what home is,” Graham says. McCoy’s Building Supply furnishes all building supplies at cost. The compa-ny delivers all the needed supplies for each home to the site and area home-builders who have raised the money and committed to building send in crews to build the homes. Meagan, her husband and her par-ents are also building a large operations center and maintenance shop for the community. “It’s a cool model,” she says. “It’s both about lifting people off the streets and equally important, it’s a collaboration be-tween all these people in the building community.” For more on Community First Village, as well as a list of builders and architects involved in the project, please see our web-site at constructionnews.net. You can also find out more at mlf.org. –cw

Mobile Loaves & Fishes Thomas Aitchison, communications director, and Alan Graham, CEO, sit in front of an outdoor movie screen and several bed and breakfast tee-pees at Community

First Village.

David Weekley Homes employees were hard at work buiding a tiny home at the Village.

Alan Graham sits in a ready-to-rent tiny home.

The doors of opportunity

It’s been a long and winding road since the inception of Schweiss Doors in 1980. But during that span of over 35

years, many doors “literally” have opened for the start-up company. Owner Mike Schweiss relates how he got started in the door business. "It was 1980,” he says. “I was at a wedding dance. A friend commented, ‘Mike, you build lots of different things. Why not a door that folds up?’“ At that time, Schweiss and his three employees were manufacturing things like farrowing crates for sows, snowblow-ers, farm trailers, tile plows and something called the Schweiss Chicken Plucker! "It was the Chicken Plucker that gave us name recognition and, in fact, got us going financially," Schweiss laughs. His first bi-fold door measured 12 x 12 ft., and was installed on a Renville County highway shed, 10 miles from Sch-weiss' country factory location between Fairfax and Hector, MN. The door is still in operation.

Custom quality During years of manufacturing doors of all sizes and shapes, requests kept coming in from customers who wanted Schweiss Doors to help them with their own personal door project to specifically fit their application. Schweiss listened and answered the challenge to design or make alterations to their door. “Bingo, that’s when the fun began to spread,” says Pat Schmidt, promotions director. “We hit a few home runs and saw the need and requests for unique custom-made doors. That’s how our ‘De-signer Doors’ got their name.” Schweiss says this line has become global. “We have completed and installed many beautiful and elegant, off-the-wall

designer doors resulting in making many end-users very happy,” he says. “We deliv-ered them a real factory showpiece they could be proud to show off. The designer doors have become a strong market for us. Architects and designers are calling from around the globe. We are now de-signing and manufacturing hydraulic and bifold doors from hangars to storefronts and residences that are mouthwateringly beautiful. They dream it; we build it!”

More than one to make a team Schweiss Doors is a family run busi-ness. “I am acutely aware that a successful company is only as good as the people who work there,” Schweiss says. “I real-ized early on that to be the best you have to have highly skilled employees.” Coming up with new and better products is an ongoing challenge for Sch-

weiss and his 60-70 employees.

Really big doors to unique apps Last year, Schweiss fulfilled orders from SpaceX for rocket development fa-cility doors installed on a new steel han-gar at Cape Canaveral. The largest of the two is a Bifold Liftstrap door, 90 ft. wide x 61 ft. tall. The second door on that ship-ment is 40 ft. wide x 69 ft. tall. Each of the doors is equipped with automatic latches and is windrated to 150 mph. After they arrived at the site they were clad in 26-guage sheeting and have 4-inch blan-ket insulation. Bottom-drive 480 volt, 3 phase motors and patented Schweiss lift-straps do the lifting of these doors that exceed 53,000 lbs. The Hydraulic lifting porch hangar door, a classic Florida hangar home Sch-weiss wall/porch door, has drawn nation-al attention by television networks. It has

given new meaning to the term "hangar home." The structure is 50' wide x 60' deep x 30' tall, all metal. “However, a 45' x 15' Schweiss hy-draulic door sporting a wrap-around porch with decorator railing, table and chairs, a walk through door with stylish window, and veranda roof gets your at-tention,” Schweiss says. More recently, the company started a sideline enterprise to retrofit 40-foot steel shipping containers with designer doors on the front and sidewalls. The units can be used for a variety of purpos-es ranging from home and construction offices to hunting cabins.

It’s art When customers request something, Schweiss employees look forward to tak-ing on the challenge of satisfying them. “We are passionate and serious about manufacturing doors and try each and every day trying to manufacture a better door. In 1998, we invented our cur-rent patented liftstrap design that uses straps instead of cables. Liftstraps are stronger, maintenance-free, safer and lift doors faster; it was a real game changer in the bifold door world,” noted Schweiss. Schweiss office personal have stepped up just to handle the designer door requests and love working on these one-of-a-kind custom doors. Many hours of design and engineering goes into these special doors. “It’s really rewarding to be able to participate in someone’s dreams and Schweiss provides years of door knowl-edge to enhance each and every design-er door — it’s more than a door, it’s a piece of art. Adding beauty to a structure is what Schweiss Doors does with each and every style door we manufacture,” Schweiss says. –cw

Mike Schweiss standing in front of a Schweiss bifold liftstrap door.

Cheers to sixty years


L-R: National Utility Contractors Association’s (NUCA) national treasurer Dan Buckley presents Kiewit-Southgate’s Alex Kocher, National Trench Safety’s Fred Burlbaw, NUCA’s Deana Butorac, McLaughlin’s Kevin Wise and Driver Pipeline’s Ed “Whiz” Whisenant with acknowledgement of NUCA Texas’ charter at NUCA’s 51st National

Convention in March. –mjm

Chartered territorySubmitted to Construction News

Clients and friends networked at the Big City Access 14th annual Crawfish Boil in April. James Evanicky, sales

manager and Barbara Roberts, president, hosted the event. –ab

Boil it upSubmitted to Construction News

The Houston Contractors Association (HCA) celebrated its 60th anniver-sary this year by hosting a party for

its members at the Redneck Country Club Apr. 15. More than 250 people were in atten-dance. They enjoyed a night of food, fun and music. The Bo Phillips Band gave a live country music performance. HCA president, Mark Boyer, Boyer Inc., spoke about the founding of HCA and also recognized the past HCA presi-dents that were in attendance for their work with the association over the years. –ab

HCA Houston past presidents

HCA president Mark Boyer, Boyer Inc.

HCA members and guests have dinner at the Redneck Country Club.

www.constructionnews.net

Design competition with a twist

Houston area architects participat-ed in the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Hous-

ton City Center’s 8th annual Product Runway Apr. 22. Architects created handmade gar-ments out of standard architectural fin-ish materials such as glass, tile, carpet and wood. The event benefited the Houston Furniture Bank, a non-profit or-ganization. –ab

Congrats to the winning teams!

2nd Place: PDR

3rd Place: Page

Crowd Favorite: PBK

Best Runway Performance:Kathy Andrews

Student Best in Show: HCC

Best New Arrival:Brave Architecture Best Work of Art: Morris

Best Craftsmanship:Abel Design Group

Most Sustainable:EYP/WHR Architects

Most Wearable:Ziegler Cooper Architects

Best in Show: Kirksey

Most Philanthropic: Johnston LLC

The fish are bitin’

Taking a stand


Electrical contractors and suppliers attended a fishing tournament held at Outriggers in Seabrook May 13.

The Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) Texas Gulf Coast Chapter held the

Non Guided Heaviest Stringer winner: Team Stingaree - Brandon Gralheer, Daniel Hilliard, David Jattar and Brian McNeal

annual event IEC membership director Tori John-son says the tournament nearly doubled this year with a total of 47 boats partici-pating. –ab

Guided Heaviest Stringer winner: Team FES Boat #2 - Scott Canady, Jeff Kurtz,Santiago Solis and Frank Strain

Sunshine support

In conjunction with OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down week May 2-6, 2016, the American Subcontrac-tors Association (ASA) Houston Chapter members did

safety stand-downs on their jobsites and in their offices. Companies who participated included: AmeriTex Imaging and Services, Baker Concrete Construction, Inc., Big City Access, Briggs Equipment, Brochsteins, Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd., Chamberlin Roof-ing & Waterproofing, Comfort Systems USA- South Central, Fast Track Specialties LP, Greater Metroplex Interiors Inc., Gulf Coast Railings Inc., Holes Inc., Hud-son Building Systems Ltd., J.M Maly Inc., Karsten Inte-rior Services LP, Kauffman Company Fire and Life Safety, KenMor Electric, Marek, MEMCO, Milestone Metals Inc., Network Cabling Services, Inc., Oxford Builders, Inc., Peterson Beckner Industries, Pieper Houston Electric LP, Slack & Co. Contracting Inc., T.A.S. Commercial Concrete Construction LLC, TDIn-dustries and Texas Moisture Protection. –ab

J.M. Maly Inc. Oxford Builders

Slack & Co. Contracting Inc. Big City Access

Greater Metroplex Interiors Inc. Milestone Metals Inc. Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing

When Mansfield Independent School District asked Huckabee CEO Christopher Huckabee if

his architecture and planning firm would participate in their “Colors for Caring Day” on May 2nd, Huckabee didn’t hesitate. The initiative, started by

Mansfield ISD superintendent and cancer survivor Dr. Jim Vaszauskas, encourages the community to wear a color that represents a cancer affecting a loved one. Despite the short notice, Huckabee rallied his entire team in the company’s Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston, San

Antonio and Waco offices to wear a color for his 12-year-old niece, Ellie Fetner, who is battling cancer. The color he picked? A lively orange! The employees combed their closets for all things tangerine-ish. Because many of the staff members are Texas Tech Red Raiders or Texas A&M Aggies, the color was a little hard for some to find in their wardrobes. Fortunately, Huckabee ordered orange shirts to fill in the gaps. The staff also made signs with the hashtag #EllieStrong to show support

for Ellie. The staff’s outpouring of support is no surprise to those who work for the company. “Huckabee is a very close-knit company who would do anything for each other,” Huckabee’s Courtney Foster says. “We call ourselves a ‘Huckafamily.’ Rallying behind our CEO and his family to show our support was a no brainer, but the opportunity to show support for one of our clients on top of that made it that much better.” –mjm

HVAC & PLUMBING


What about the stigma of choosing a trade vs. acollege degree?

Alicia Dover, CAE, Executive DirectorAssociated Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Con-tractors of Texas (PHCC Texas)Austin, TX

This question was asked of a panel at a recent state agency summit on work-

force needs in Texas. It got me to think-ing deeply about this aspect of trade vs. college choice. I remember my days in high school when it was the “not so smart” or “not so driven” kids who chose the trades. Money available for educa-tion, or lack thereof, was probably anoth-er factor in their choices. In my role as executive director for a state trade association representing the plumbing and HVAC industry, I promote the trades as a viable option. Texas is fac-ing a shortage of skilled tradespeople, especially in the construction related in-dustry. The average age of a master plumb-er is now 56. There are not enough peo-ple in the “pipeline” to meet the void these plumbers will create when they re-tire. A 2012-13 study performed by the Texas Workforce Commission found that by 2020 there will be a 25% greater de-mand for plumbers and HVAC installers than in 2012. The next question that begs asking

is, “How much money can a trade person make?” It varies throughout the state, but recent Department of Labor Statistics show that in Texas, the average wage for experienced, licensed plumbers is $45,000 to $57,000 annually. In many ar-eas of the state, the average is even high-er. Master plumbers command an even higher wage. Responsible master plumb-ers are usually the business owner, and they are showing earnings of $100,000 and up. Further, employers are now will-ing to invest in the training of their new hires. It is not a rarity anymore to see four-year apprenticeship programs com-pletely funded by the student’s employ-er. The company provides the on-the-job training, the school provides the neces-sary classroom time, and voila, within four year’s time, another licensed jour-neyman comes into the marketplace. With salaries such as these, educa-tion available, and the demand as it is, why do we still face a critical shortage of qualified workers? Many in the world of academia have stated it is because we have spent much of the recent past pro-

moting college degrees as the only path as a student leaves high school. Further, these same educators state that Texas’ focus on standardized testing is prevent-ing the high schools and often middle schools from investing in the lives of their students they serve. After a good amount of these meet-ings, it has occurred to me that there still exists a stigma, if you will, about not choosing college and choosing a trade. So how do we promote the trades as a viable and rewarding career option? That is the million dollar question my in-dustry faces. Visits to trade schools that hold plumbing and mechanical programs show that they are not full. They can’t seem to attract a large pipeline of future plumbers and HVAC technicians. For many of the programs, the word is, peo-ple don’t really know what we do. They hear “plumber” and they think stopped up toilets. An HVAC technician’s job is per-ceived as too hot and too sweaty. Our first attempts at attracting more high school students into our industry were to reach out to the school counsel-ors. What we found was professionals too busy with paperwork, testing, and no time to learn, let alone share information about other career options outside of a two- or four-year college. Next, we began a push to have indus-try professionals participate in job and career fairs at the school district level. This has proven to show some success. A bona fide company with real jobs is a draw. Fur-ther, it has allowed the participating em-ployers an opportunity to prescreen a group of students who could actually come to work for them in the very near

future. For many employers, they can hire an apprentice at age 16 for part time work. I have been told that the starting wage for these individuals is well above the current minimum wage rates for Texas. Third, we are now reaching out the Texas State Legislature for more assis-tance in promoting the trades. Both the House and the Senate are holding meet-ings during this interim period to discuss the implications and implementation of House Bill 5 from 2013. This bill affords all students a variety of postsecondary edu-cation and workforce opportunities. Stu-dents are given the opportunity to earn an endorsement in an area of interest. For the trades, this was critical to bringing vo-cational education back into the schools! So where does this leave us going forward? We must show students and their parents that choosing a trade is not a second rate choice, but one that carries with it pride, accomplishment and suc-cess. I return to the question posed at the beginning. Does a stigma exist? Yes, it does. Can we do something about it? Most certainly. It starts with taking pride in our work. And then, sharing that pride and encouraging others to come along side of us in our pursuit of excellence in what we do. How do we accomplish this? We be-gin the conversations. Talk to anyone who will listen to us. Reach out to the schools, the administrators, the legisla-tors, and then the community. We also need to give back. The professionals in our industry need to enter the classroom and lab. Teaching their trade to the next generation is paramount to producing a “pipeline” of qualified individuals. –cw

It’s a great time to become a technician

Chris Walters, PresidentExtreme Air Conditioning Services Inc.Houston, TX

What sparked your interest in the HVAC industry?

My dad was very mechanical and we fixed everything that needed fixing ourselves. At first, I was interested in auto me-chanics but my dad suggested air condi-tioning and I took his advice. I started my company when I was 33 years old. Did you have a mentor in the industry when you first got started? Yes, my instructor and mentor was an ex drill sergeant. He taught college A/C at night and technical high school during the day. One of his most memorable quotes was, "You must know the normal before

you can figure out the abnormal.” I still use this line today.

What does it take to be successful in the HVAC industry, in your opinion? You must be flexible and constantly search for opportunities to take on work. You also must be willing to make a plan and focus on it but adapt as the job needs change. You have to get rid of all the tire kick-ers that take tons of your time but never have good paying jobs for you. You have to understand the buck stops with you - everyday you are respon-sible for how the day went and if you were successful and got enough done to pay the bills and your employees. You must never forget nothing can

compare to hard work and dedication. I tell employees all the time: no mat-ter what is happening in your life, it is go-ing to be worse without a job. This type of thinking gets me up at 5am without an alarm clock and keeps me focused. You cannot be lazy and you cannot slack off in this business. This is a full time commitment that many people are counting on your ef-forts and you on theirs. Are there any changes you have seen in the HVAC industry lately? Yes, one of the changes I have seen is the prices of replacement unit change outs has risen double what it was just a few years ago. However, the equipment itself is only a bit more expensive.

What advice would you give a young person who wants to work in the HVAC industry? Every day I tell prospective techni-cians how great the need for technicians is.

I tell them in 20 years of owning my business the lack of technicians is the single largest obstacle to overcome. There has never been a better time to enter this high demand job. Technicians are highly sought after and the shortage is not expected to end anytime soon.

What is your perspective about the current state of the Houston construc-tion industry? What I notice first is the number of bid invitations that we receive from gen-eral contractors.

We see our invitations to bid for new construction has doubled which is a great indicator of an economy on the rebound. Established by Chris and April Walters in 1996, Extreme Air Conditioning Services Inc. is commercial HVAC contractor. The company focuses on both commercial and industrial services in the Houston area. –ab

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HVAC & PLUMBING

Labor, regulationschallenges to industry

William Biggs, OwnerBiggs Plumbing Co. Inc.Austin, TX

How would you describe the state of the construction industry in

general terms? Have you heard of an increase or slowdown in business? Trying to predict the construction cycle is tough. The best you can do is pre-pare your contingencies. In Austin, we’ve had a very good construction economy for a long time now, so I hear concern about the future, but it’s mostly caution and not fear. What factors are driving this? Austin is a hot market still, but that can’t go on forever. It’s important to know who you are working with and have confidence in a project before you invest your own resources as well.

Do you see an increase in the number of outside contractors coming to the area? Absolutely. Even if there are just as many projects, there is now increased competition, and it could actually hurt good companies as they face competi-

tion from desperate or even reckless con-tractors. What are the “hot button” issues in your industry? Of course adequate labor is huge. Government regulation is another hot topic. No matter which administrative au-thority, people just want clarity and sim-plicity. What is on the horizon for your indus-try? Changes in technology; equip-ment; materials? The use of technology has been de-veloping in our industry with mixed re-sults. If used correctly and with intelligent input, it can speed up the work and pro-vide great reference. If used poorly or in the wrong situation, it delays work and drives up cost. As energy and water con-servation concerns grow, I think the need for innovation in plumbing is going to grow as well. Have there been any significant code

changes in the last year? There are a lot of important but sub-tle changes in codes that apply to plumb-ing, particularly regarding efficiency and conservation, but you always have to check which administrative authority you’re working under to even be sure what the current “code” is. With the recent emphasis on green building, what is the most environ-mentally friendly change relating to your industry? I would have to say it’s in the area of water conservation. It’s such an impor-tant resource and sensible plumbing de-sign has to be at the forefront if we’re go-ing to protect our future supplies.

Do any new water restricting fixtures impact plumbing installation? As long as the design and installation match the needs of the new fixtures, I don’t see any reason there should be any impact. But you might need to pay more attention during a remodel.

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages? Other? Labor is a big challenge, but trying to keep costs competitive while complying with administrative authorities, regulat-ing bodies, and complex construction documents are other challenges as well.

Is HVAC/Plumbing education avail-able for those wishing to enter the in-dustry? There are a number of formal ave-

nues like PHCC, ABC, trade programs, and the unions. Our company makes it a point to help those who possess the right atti-tude with an opportunity to learn regard-less of prior experience. I’m sure other companies feel the same. We can teach the skills if someone is dedicated and willing to learn. What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Aside from labor increases, we’re also seeing an increasing demand for le-gal counsel and insurance as contracts become more complicated, risk is be-coming harder to manage, and more lay-ers are added to the construction pro-cess. The more complex building be-comes, the more things can go wrong. What are the rewards of the industry? Being able to work with your hands and mind while providing for your family is not unique to plumbing, but it’s hugely rewarding.

What are keys to being successful? I would say diligence and focus with a strong moral compass about your busi-ness practices is a start. Hard work is a must, but sweat equity alone doesn’t al-ways work. You’ve got to have a good plan and stick to it. Biggs Plumbing began in Austin in 1972 with a goal to provide the highest level of plumbing services to the construction in-dustry with a belief in our employees and our profession. –cw

Modern times mean modern methods

Kyle Pennington, Business ManagerAJ Monier & CompanySan Antonio, TX

Kyle Pennington doesn’t come from an HVAC or plumbing background. His

experience at Ernst & Young in Dallas working in accounting and finance gives him a business-driven perspective on the trades. As business manager of AJ Monier & Company, he observes three major fac-tors influencing the industry today. First, the difficulty in finding quali-fied technicians in today’s day and age has encouraged the company to reach out to high schools and join up with the apprenticeship program at Local 142. Their goal is to make sure the students know that there are career opportunities that do not require attending a four-year university and can create wealth for them and their families. To help with the shortage of techni-cians, Pennington attends events and programs with AJ Monier team members to educate high school students about the opportunities that are readily avail-able for qualified technicians in the trades. Recently, Pennington attended the Texas Construction Career Initiative (TCCI) Construction Career Day, and he discov-

ered that a lot of high school students do not even know what the acronym HVAC stands for, nor did they know that the duct work and a lot of what is unseen be-hind walls and ceilings is what they deal with in this business. They also did not know that water can be used to cool the air, referring to chilled water systems. While they make efforts to help alle-viate the shortage of skilled labor in the future, Pennington brings up the second factor, which is that technology has be-come even more important to stay com-petitive. With technological growth reaching a rapid pace, companies have started utilizing technology in their ev-eryday business. “AJ Monier implemented iPads in the field for HVAC technicians about three years ago,” he explains. “That allows them to pull up operations manuals for specific pieces of equipment that they’re working on right then and there. We’re allowed to do videos and pictures, and email them back and forth to supervisors in the office as well as even using Face-Time on a rooftop to help a lesser skilled technician troubleshoot a problem.”

Pennington also notes that they try to attend seminars and conferences host-ed by the Mechanical Contractors Asso-ciation (MCA of America, MCA of Texas, MCA-SMACNA of San Antonio). He says there are always breakout sessions relat-ing to the future of the industry and how technology ties into what they do. “I am a firm believer that if I want to stay competitive in my industry that I need to be on the forefront of technolo-gy for our business,” he says. “Our busi-ness has been around for over 100 years, and when I first got here, technology was not something on our forefront. So I made sure that we invested more money back into technology and into the train-ing that goes along with that technology for our technicians. We started with our HVAC technicians. We use it also for our plumbers as well. We’re starting to get our construction people involved.” This ties into Pennington’s third point, noting that with technology rapid-ly improving, the company has been able to expand its services into building auto-mation and controls. He sees these ser-vices as the future for helping shed elec-tricity loads for buildings. “Building automation is getting smarter and smarter, and controls – DDC (Direct Digital Controls) – have been around 20-plus years, but it’s getting smarter as technology is getting smarter,” he observes, adding that they try to part-ner with their customers to make their buildings smarter too, and now they can be monitored from a cellphone or tablet. “Technology has made it easier for people to pull up the information on the web, and you didn’t have to be at the

building itself to see it,” he says. “I can get an email notification that a set point on an HVAC unit is starting to get out of a speci-fied range, and that email can tell me be-fore a tenant can complain to the building manager, and I can proactively contact the building manager if they don’t already get the email as well. We can try and head off the issue before a tenant can complain and be discomforted.” Along with this advanced technolo-gy, the controls are now open protocol with the Niagara Tridium platform, which allows anybody to work on it. So, if a cus-tomer feels that for some reason they are not happy with AJ Monier’s level of ser-vice, they will be able to have another contractor work on the building, because the controls are not proprietary to AJ Monier, adding the value of freedom for the customer and their contractors on this open platform. As he points out the factors affecting the industry, Pennington had a couple of points for homeowners and end users too. He emphasized that filters should be changed quarterly to keep your unit op-erating properly, and the thermostat should not be cranked so low that it makes the machine work overtime and can cause issues down the line. AJ Monier & Company was founded in 1908 by its namesake, who was succeeded by his son, Kurt AJ Monier, father of the company’s current president, William Kurt Monier. Kyle Pennington’s wife is a fourth generation Monier. The company does HVAC service, plumbing service, building controls, welding and fabrication, new con-struction, retrofits, and owns 50 percent of sheet metal company M&M Metals. –mh

Round-UpHouston Construction News • Jun 2016 Page 17

Association CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

ABCAssociated Builders & Contractors

Jun. 7: New Member OrientationJun. 8: Captain’s PartyJun. 10: Fishing TournamentFor more information call 713-523-6222

AGCAssociated General Contractors

Jun. 20: 2016 AGC/AIA Golf Tournament, Champion’s Golf ClubFor more information call 713-843-3700

AIAAmerican Institute of Architects

Jun. 4: 30th annual AIA Sandcastle Com-petition, 10am, East Beach in GalvestonFor more information: www.aiahouston.org

ASAAmerican Subcontractors Association

Jun. 4: Fiesta on the Beach, East Beach in GalvestonJun. 16: No General Lunch meeting in JuneFor more information call 281-679-1877

FPAFoundation Performance Assoc.

Jun. 8: Monthly meeting, 5pm, HESS ClubFor more information: www.foundation-performance.org

HCAHispanic Contractors Association

Jun. 7: Golf Tournament at Blackhorse, 10amJun. 23: Luncheon, 11am

For more information visitwww.houstoncontractors.org

IECIndependent Electrical Contractors

Jun. 1: Wireoff CompetitionFor more information call 713-869-1976

MCAMechanical Contractors Association

Jun. 8: Membership meeting, 11:45am, The HESS ClubJun. 22: Joint Membership meeting, 11:30am, The HESS ClubFor more information call 281-440-4380

NAWICNat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Jun. 18: NAWIC Houston Celebrates 60 years, 11am-3pm, The Tasting RoomFor more information: www.nawic-hous-ton.org

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Jun. 15: 4th Annual Truck Competition and Dinner, 6pm, Brady’s Landing, 8505 CypressFor more information: www. gulfcoast-phcc.org

WCAWomen Contractors Association

Jun. 2: Luncheon, 11:30am, Maggiano’s Little Italy, 2-19 Post Oak Blvd.For more info: www.womencontractors.org

Closner Equipment Co. Inc. has named Clint Blackmon as director of service. In his new role, he will have statewide responsibility for all field technicians, shop personnel and fleet maintenance. Blackmon has held various positions in the construction and materials industries for 20 years. Prior to moving to Texas, he held leadership posi-tions at Vulcan Materials and Tractor & Equipment Co. in the Southeastern U.S.

Robert Kohutek has joined STG Design in Houston as an architect and Samina Merchant joined the firm as an interior designer. Kohutek is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a BS in Environ-mental Design and Minor in Art and Ar-chitectural History and a graduate of the University of Houston with an MA in Architecture. Merchant holds a BS degree in Busi-ness from the Uni-versity of Bombay, India and an MA de-gree in Interior Ar-chitecture from the University of Ore-gon.

Kimi Duplichan, PHR, SHRM-CP has joined Johnston as director of human resources. She has more than 25 years of experience in hu-man resources, with a specialization in human resources for professional servic-es. Duplichan is a certified professional in human resources and a certified profes-sional with the Society of Human Re-source Management.

Bartlett Cocke Gen-eral Contractors (BCGC) has promot-ed Randall “Ran-dy” Sayers to field operations manag-er for East Texas. Sayers has been with BCGC for nine years and has more than 29 years of ex-perience in the construction industry. He will oversee management of project teams in this region.

Making the roundsSubmitted to Construction News

L-R: Becky Khan, Alfred and Mari Reyes networked at the Women Contractors Association (WCA) Happy Hour Member Mixer at Harold’s in the Heights May 12. –ab

HOK has hired Shane Loggains as a design profession-al. Before joining HOK, Loggains par-ticipated in and managed all phases of projects, includ-ing schematic de-sign, design devel-opment, construction documentation and construction administration. He re-ceived B.S. degrees in both German and Architecture from Texas Tech University.

Mobil Steel Inter-national Inc. has hired Michael S. Dunavant Sr. as project manager and estimator. He will also manage compliance func-tions for Mobil Steel’s American In-stitute of Steel Construction (AISC) qual-ity certification program. Dunavant has more than 40 years of experience as an estimator and project manager. He is a graduate of State Technical Institute - Memphis.

SubmissionsThis is a section for brief company

announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge

as space allows. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Email with “Round-Up” in the subject

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

next month’s issue to:

[email protected]

L-R: Associated General Contractor (AGC) Houston Chapter president and CEO Jerry Nevlud congratulates Roy Garcia, Trio Electric Ltd., the winner of an iPad mini at the

Spring Member Mixer held at Crisp restaurant in The Heights May 5. –ab

And the winner isSubmitted to Construction News

continued from Page 1 — Making work zones safe

continued from Page 1 — 20 years and counting

continued from Page 1 — Surpassing expectations

Get reel


Brown & Gay Engineers’s (BGE) design and installed ultra-violet disinfection fa-cilities. The previous plant used chlorine as a traditional method to treat the water. By using u-v light technology, the 2.1 MGD wastewater treatment plant reduc-es the effluent processing time resulting in a more efficient overall treatment plant system. According to Smith, the project in-cluded a fine bubble aeration basin, clari-fier, digesters, effluent disk filters, ultra-violet disinfection, on-site and effluent lift stations, all piping, attendant equip-ment, electrical, appurtenances, paving, drainage, grading, restoration of damage surfaces; expanding the detention pond and constructing a new lined effluent/reuse pond, adding an effluent filter to the existing packaged wastewater treat-ment plant, supplying and installing an effluent reuse pipeline that runs from the existing wastewater treatment plant to an amenity lake, and constructing new blower and motor control center build-ings with concrete masonry unit wall and precast concrete hollow core roof panel. The materials used for the project were subbase material, rebar, concrete, concrete curing compound, ductile iron pipe, galvanized pipe, schedule 80 PVC pipe, steel pipe sleeves, stainless steel supports and protective coating. “One of the most recognized tasks that PepperLawson Waterworks con-quered was the coordination with sub-contractors and the field crews to ensure all underground piping (sewer, non po-table and air) was successfully placed while avoiding all existing lines,” Smith

said. “The PepperLawson Waterworks crew succeeded in maneuvering under-ground obstacles and constructing the expansion while keeping the plant opera-tional and maintaining a constant water level in the lake.“ Smith says both Webber and Pepper-Lawson Waterworks strongly believe in bettering communities in Houston and throughout Texas “This was a successful project that not only helps people but also benefits animal life, birds, and flora and saves nat-ural resources personally satisfying and extraordinary for a waterworks project,” he said. “One positive aspect of the work-ing relationship with the owner, Bridge-land Development, and BGE was their support of the submission of this project for the I Build America award at award at www.IBuildAmerica.com.” PepperLawson Waterworks was formed as a division of PepperLawson Con-struction in 1993 and was acquired by Web-ber, LLC in 2016 to further broaden the com-pany’s water and wastewater expertise and services. PepperLawson Waterworks has three offices and employs 250 people, and Webber has 3 formal offices and employs over 2,000 people. PepperLawson Waterworks specializes in waterworks construction, water and wastewater construction, while Webber works in a variety of markets including heavy civil, materials and commercial. –ab

Professional Team:Project Manager: Prafulla BoraProject Superintendent: Marcos GonzalezDesign Firm: Brown & Gay Engineers, Mike Fitzgerald, PE

Over the years, Stripes & Stops added new services to include waterblasting and the manufacturing of signs and sten-cils. “I like the people in this industry,” he said. “I like the customers and the com-petitors. Our competitors buy stencils and signage from us. “It is important to me that all our cus-tomers are dealt with on a personal and professional basis. It is my goal to make sure that all requests are handled in a timely manner.” McKinley says the keys to success as an entrepreneur are to pay attention to details and follow through with what you say you are going to do.

“My father taught me so much about business and how to effectively commu-nicate with people,” he said. “He men-tored me along the way. You can’t put a price on the gift he gave me.” When McKinley has free time, he loves going deer and dove hunting at a lease in Fredericksburg with his group of high school friends. “I work all the time, so it is nice to get out to the Hill Country when I can,” he said. Stripes & Stops Company, Inc. is a man-ufacturer and distributor of work zone equipment, materials, pavement marking, traffic control services and supplies. –ab

passionate about it. “We are very proud that there are few places we can’t go around Houston, even Texas, and now outside the state that we don’t see a project that we worked on. It is a source of great pride knowing that these communities get to enjoy buildings, grocery stores, restau-rants and more that we designed.” Duerer says construction in Houston is going very well in many sectors in 2016. “While office and residential work has seemed to drop off some, the retail and hospitality work still seems to be very strong,” he says. “We are busy with retail, grocery, restaurants, small medical offices and still have some industrial and office work going on.” Duerer says if he were to give advice to someone interested in becoming an architect, he says do what makes you happy. “We’ve talked at numerous career

fairs and we tell all the young people to follow their passion,” he said. “We truly enjoy what we do as architects, designers, planners and problem solvers. If you enjoy doing it, you spend more en-ergy at it and it is less like ‘work’.” Duerer says in the future the compa-ny plans to continue to grow and not for-get the keys to success that got the firm where it is today. “Growth is good but we want to grow naturally,” he said. “We have diversified our portfolio of work organically and we are now serving clients in many different fields and areas. “We are licensed in 20 states which was dictated by our clients wanting us to work for them in other areas. We look for-ward to bringing new staff into the fold of ownership and continuing to serve our valuable clients.” CDA Architects specializes in commer-cial architecture. –ab

The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) held its 13th an-nual Fishing Tournament at

Woody’s Sports Center in Port Aransas in May. Roofing contractors and suppliers

from across the state attended the event. A captain’s party took place at The Back Porch Bar. Trout Trucking provided fajitas and sausage wraps to participants. –ab

RCAT’s First Place Heaviest Stringer: Team Atlas Al Casteneda, Brad Jones, David Culbreth and Dan Whitford

Roofing contractors and suppliers head out on the water in Port Aransas.

Industry friends catch up at The Back Porch Bar.

Catching up over crawfishHouston Construction News • Jun 2016 Page 19

SpawGlass employees celebrated with owners, architects and special-ty contractors at the 19th annual

Bayou Bash Apr. 21. Friends in the industry came to the Houston location to enjoy the beautiful

Fast Track Specialties LP

Polk Mechanical

SpawGlass employees and guests network at the Houston location.

day, listen to live music and have craw-fish. SpawGlass is a general contractor, construction manager, design builder and civil contractor. –ab

Ian Contreras and Chris Wells, Landtech Consultants Inc., do surveying work near FM 2218 for TxDOT. –ab

Into the fieldConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Safety specialists Charlie Gertson and Amy Ryan, United Tool & Fastener, held a safety demonstration at Dow Chemical in early May. –ab

Safety in numbersSubmitted to Construction News

American Society of Civil Engineers Texas Section (ASCE) hosted the annual ASCE Student Symposium

Steel Bridge and Concrete Canoe Com-petition at Texas Tech in Lubbock Apr. 7-9. Student teams that garnered the top spots moved onto the national competi-tion. Students had the opportunity to compete in five different competitions, including steel bridge, concrete canoe, concrete bowling, concrete Frisbee and a mystery design competition where teams had to make a structure out of no-tecards, paperclips and tape that had to hold an eight-pound steel textbook. –cw

Brain games for students

Students from the University of Houston competed in all the categories. Photos

show their entries in the bridge and canoe competitions.

The team successfully staying above water.

Making a differenceSubmitted to Construction News

Nominated by B. Bell Builders Inc., Skanska USA was named recipient of the “Helping Hand” award as decided upon by the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council (HMSDC). The award was presented at the recent HMSDC annual luncheon. L-R: Brian Winningham, Eric Bunner, Linh Le all with Skanska USA and Patricia Thompson. –ab


Hardwood Products employees have fun and work hard every day. Established in 1977, the family-owned and operated company services the commercial and residential

hardwood market. –ab

Moulding to millworkConstruction News ON LOCATION

Smooth as glassConstruction News ON LOCATION

L-R: Adonis, Francisco, Hector, Josh and Todd are the friendly glass installers at Lancaster Glass. The company provides commercial and residential glass services. –ab

L-R: Rodney McCall, Intrepid Construction Co. Inc. and Brooke Merry, project manager, attended the Berkshire Hathaway Home Services-Anderson Properties Cinco

Ranch Office grand opening party May 11. –ab

Hard work pays offSubmitted to Construction News

Destination Fiesta TexasSubmitted to Construction News

New employees from all four regional offices of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors gathered at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio for the annual company picnic May 7.

Attendees from Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Baytown and the headquarters in San Antonio enjoyed a fully catered all-you-can-eat lunch and all-day admission to the park. –mh

Documents

Houston Construction News June 2016