Austin Construction News February 2013 Issue

Covering the Industrys News
Texas Style
San Antonio Dallas/Fort Worth Austin Houston South Texas
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Austin
CONSTRUCTION
www.constructionnews.net (210) 308-5800 Volume 13 Number 2 FEBRUARY 2013
The Industrys Newspaper
30 years in Austin
Four decades and counting
L-R: Joe Moore, Gary Keil, Bill Heine, Joe Charlton and Marty Burger.
merican Constructors President Bill Heine remembers his companys rst days fondly. Having just moved to Austin from Honolulu in 1982 prior to the big construction boom, Heine, a veteran of the Navy with a strong construction background, wasted no time getting his company up and running. I bought a book on how to form a corporation in Texas and persuaded several people that I had worked with previously to move to Austin and be a part of American Constructors, Heine recalled. The early days were fun and exciting. We rented a small space on the second oor of an old music store on Congress Avenue. We started our rst project in 1983, which, when nished, included the entire
block between 3rd and 4th Streets and Lavaca and Guadalupe. We built a large underground parking structure and three buildings of 13, 9 and 5 stories. But after that, times were tough. The company hung in there and eventually got some work expanding a high school in Leander and building a new one in Marble Falls. In the 1990s, the company built up a following of clients that wanted assistance during the design phase. Assisting clients during the design of the project is one thing we excel at, Heine noted. Schools became a big part of American Constructors workload. By 2010, the
continued on Page 17
wner Rob Hunt founded Water Street Millworks Inc. 40 years ago. The company has operated at its current shop in Bastrop, TX for 37 years. In the early days, I started out making owerpots in the shop, Hunt said. I sold the owerpots on the drag in Bastrop. I eventually became interested in cabinetry and furniture and havent looked back! Over the years, we have added quite a few machines. We have continued to operate in good times and bad times and we have survived through hard work and dedication. I love the cabinetry business. There have been so many changes such as new technologies and improved equipment.
L-R: Hank the shop dog, Rob Hunt, Jacob Jones, Val Ryan, David Cervantes, Mark Barrell
We still do a lot of cabinetry the old school way. According to Hunt, the company has provided the cabinetry work at the First National Bank, at an insurance company ofce and at a RV park in Bastrop. He says Water Street Millworks has an annual Christmas party. This past year, cabinetmaker David Cervantes made tamales for all the employees. Val Ryan is always baking for us it seems, Hunt said. She brought in a pumpkin pie for the Christmas party. Val makes doors and gets the jobs ready to go out on a daily basis. Val is a NASCAR fan in her free time. She hasnt been to a race in Dallas, TX yet but she has seen a continued on Page 17
Constant communication equals success

rimbuilt Construction Inc. has completed the Lakeway Regional Medical Center - Medical Ofce Building interior nish-out, owned by Pacic Medical Buildings. The project manager was Paul Kilmer and the project superintendent was John Needler, Trimbuilt Construction. Marsha Bernard and Erin Nash, Page Southerland Page LLP and Jeffrey Fox, KGA Architecture, were the architects. According to owner Larry Puckett, Trimbuilt Construction, the approximate contract cost was $3.5 million and it took 7 months to complete the project. The building has 13 individual tenant suites, Puckett said. The new nishout, totaling more than 35,000sf, includes an imaging center, cancer center, cardiology suites, as well as a sleep lab. The construction materials included metal studs with GWB partitions - lead
Lakeway Regional Medical Center - Medical Ofce Building Photos by: Bronson Dorsey Photography
lined in required areas, suspended ceilings with acoustical lay-in ceiling tile and solid core doors. Our team had the challenge of coordinating 13 suites, all involving diverse tenants, specialties and uses, under different phases of construction in the same shell building, with the majority of the suites being built concurrently. Thorough and constant communication with all trades, as well as the construction manager and design teams helped us remain focused and organized, overcoming those related challenges. The end result was 13 successful projects in budget and happy clients. The dynamic relationship between our teams working here locally, with a construction manager in San Diego, CA and a new administration with a new facility made the project unique. continued on Page 17
Page 2
Austin Construction News Feb 2013
DID YOU KNOW . . . .
Keeping their memories alive
CONSTRUCTION
Largest circulation construction newspaper in Texas
The Beneath the Flag image is a mosaic of photos of men and women of the Armed Forces who died in service to their country.
hen you see a story on the news We just want people to know that so about a fallen soldier, are you often there are parents and family memleft wanting to know more bers out there who have lost a loved one, about that person who made the ulti- and we dont realize that we could be mate sacrice for our counstanding next to them in line try? Who were these individat the grocery store or sitting uals? What were their pasnext to them at a restaurant sions and interests? How do and not have any idea that their families remember these people have sacriced them? so much, explains Hatton. Questions such as these This project is as much to motivated Rob Hatton to inihonor the individuals who tiate the Beneath the Flag have sacriced on the battleproject, a book series and eld as well as their families documentary lm as well as and their loved ones. a website and Facebook While support from memRob Hatton is compiling page. These avenues allow bers of the military has been the stories of fallen the stories of men and womextremely strong, Hatton combat soldiers into a series of books and a en of our Armed Forces that says he will start with one documentary lm. were lost in combat to be book and gauge the retold more intimately through the memo- sponse. ries and photographs of their loved ones. Since all the books are being printed When Hatton learned the story of here in the U.S., the signicant cost of Marine Lance Cpl. Luke Holler, a San An- printing will be a factor in continuing the tonio resident killed in action in Iraq in series. November 2006, through his family, But, Hatton assures, We have the exfriends, and brothers-in-arms, Hatton perience to understand what it takes to knew that experience established a per- pull something of this magnitude off and sonal connection beyond that of name, do it effectively and successfully. rank, and serial number. Since the age of 17, Hatton has run Starting with the launch of the rst his own business in one form or another, Beneath the Flag coffee table book in Fall working in the elds of marketing, pub2013, Hatton will be giving our fallen he- lishing, and design all skills he is applyroes depth and dimension that tran- ing to ensure the projects physical maniscends the eeting coverage of an eve- festations in print and on video. ning news clip. Meanwhile, Hatton continues to call upon those who have lost someone in Iraq or Afghanistan to share their stories so the project can include as many of our nations lost warriors as possible. For more information or to contribute to the Beneath the Flag project, call Rob Hatton at 210-849-9786 or e-mail him at rob@beneaththeag.com. mp
Give us a call, or email your editor if you would like your company and/or personnel to be in an upcoming issue.
Abby BeMent Austineditor@ constructionnews.net 713-599-1774 San Antonio home ofce 210-308-5800 fax 210-308-5960
Page 3
Raise the roof
Construction News ON LOCATION
Reading the survey
Michael Olson, a Registered Professional Land Surveyor, takes care of paper work at Dale L. Olson Surveying Co. in Bastrop, TX. ab eller Roong & Remodeling LLC has operated since 2000. The company has locations in Austin and San Antonio. Scott Feller is the owner and his sister Ami works as an estimator. Cindi Morin is the ofce manager, bookkeeper and she keeps everyone's schedules in order. Scott is a construction engineer by degree and worked his way through college in the roong business, Morin said. He taught his sister Ami at a young age how to estimate and do roong work. They both went to college at Iowa State University. When Scott isnt at the ofce, he is very involved with his family of four children ranging in ages from 10 to 16-yearsold. He is the basketball coach for his two youngest daughters and doesn't miss a football or basketball game for Hutto High School or Hutto Middle School for
The Feller Roong & Remodeling family
his two oldest children. He got married last year in April to Stacie, who is also an integral part of the roong company from behind the scenes. According to Morin, Feller is a great piano player, and his sister is a talented photographer and an avid runner. On the side, I love to cook and garden at home, Morin said. Scott will eat just about anything I bring to the ofce! Morin says Feller Roong & Remodeling gives back to the community as much as possible. We are currently donating a roof to a victim of the Bastrop res and we also do small roof repairs for low income families many times at no charge, she said. Feller Roong & Remodeling provides residential and commercial roong and also does remodeling projects from kitchens to bathrooms, ooring, counters and cabinets. ab
Splash of paint
L-R: David Jones, lead sales and Bruce Rasco, assistant manager are the go-to guys for paint and supplies at the Kelly-Moore Paints Bastrop location. ab
Austin
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
The Austin Construction News (ISSN 15477649) is published monthly, by Construction News Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, and distributed by mail to selected constructionrelated companies in Austin and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial ofces. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space-available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba Austin Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.
Austin Editor Abby BeMent AustinEditor@ConstructionNews.net 713-599-1774 Publisher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy Doebbler Editorial/Production . . . . . . . Reesa Doebbler Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miles Smith Production Mgr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sue Johnson Sales Representative. . . . . . . . . Kent Gerstner Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Hughes
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2013 Construction News, Ltd.
Page 4
am now. They were there for me when I needed them, and it was pretty cool. What scared you the most about putting it all on the line like that? Not having anything to fall back on if it didnt work out. My husband hes got a really good job, but to support both of us and my stepdaughter whom we have half the time I had to have a job and the security of that money. That was the only thing that scared me. After about three months, things started happening, and the money started coming in and workers going out, and everything kind of balanced out, and I havent looked back. Ive been getting bigger and bigger every day, landed some really big jobs, and just opened up in Austin in August, which I never thought I would do. I just didnt. I was San Antonio, and I dont know that many people in Austin, but I got to Austin, and things were really rockin and rollin up there. Its incredible that Ive been so blessed, and to make it in this time when the economy is so bad. I opened in Austin, and Austin is going strong. Ive got a good person there running the ofce. I do sales still. I go back and forth every Wednesday, and then I stay here the rest of the time and do sales while my other two girls are in the ofce for me. Ive got some good help where its freed me up a lot to get out more and get in front of my customers. Is it stressful being the boss now, or is it liberating? The only stress I feel is if I let one of my customers down, because theyre trusting me to get it done. They helped me get started, and theyre trusting me to make it right. In my industry, youre going to have a problem. Its not if; its when. And its how you deal with that problem. I always make sure that my customers are happy. If I mess up and a worker walks off, the next day, they have an extra worker on my dime. Im like, Heres an extra guy. Thats my guy. I pay for him. Just to help you catch up and help you keep going. And I couldnt do that when I was with the other companies, because they were all about prot, and they would say, Youre giving a free worker away? Are you out of your mind? Those guys expect this to happen. And then Im like, Well, yeah, I dont. I dont. So, it is very liberating to be able to do that without having a hatchet over your neck. Or losing a customer because you cant make it right. But yeah, I think its liberating. What about your personality do you think makes you well-suited to your work and business? I relate really well to just about anybody and any situation. I really love people. It doesnt matter who you are or what background youre from. If youve got a story, I usually gure it out and nd a way to connect with someone. Its really, like they say, six degrees of separation between everybody in the world. Once you start really talking to somebody on a personal level I dont do what most salespeople do. I dont go in and go, Hi, Im so-and-so. Who are you using? How many guys do you need? I dont talk business at all. I get to know that person rst. I dont ask for a sale. I talk to them, nd out about them. You talk about learning about other peoples background, but whats your story? I was raised with three brothers, so I had that tomboy element. So, I could duck and jab with the best of them. I was raised in the country, so we just have a different set of rules when you grow up that carefree. Ive had horses and animals all my life, which I still do to this day. But I actually started out as a horsemans bookkeeper for Manor Downs in Austin right out of school. Worked at that for about a year and a half, and then end-
Bell Crisp, President

Absolute Resourcing
t seems like every time you go to a construction industry event in San Antonio, you run into Bell Crisp, president and founder of Absolute Resourcing. You probably know her, because just about everybody does. You might know she started her stafng company in San Antonio in August 2010 and just opened a second location in Austin last year. Its also possible you know that she runs about 200 guys out a day and still does sales because she has a passion for her job and people. But if you think thats all there is to this smart as a whip trailblazer, you dont know Bell. How did you get started in the construction business? I actually have been in the construction business for 13 years now in the stafng industry. I started out with LaborReady for several years, and then I went to Able Body Labor. Able Body had some problems. I was their regional sales manager over Texas, and things started to go downhill. My commission checks were getting later and later, and I was like, hmm, this is not good. Id always wanted to go out on my own, but my non-compete was rock solid even though Texas is a right-to-work state. So, I gured I would just be an Able Body employee forever, and then when that started, it was a $250 million company, and I never thought that would happen. So, I went out and got some things together, got everything ready to go. Then, in August of 2010, my workers didnt get paid one day, and that was it for me, because if they didnt pay them, how was I supposed to get them to go to work? I pretty much quit that day, because I had workers coming up to the car upset, saying, We cant get paid. And I said, Im so sorry. I went out on my own, and two weeks later, they led for bankruptcy. The timing worked out that I was proactive instead of reactive. I had offers to work for other companies, but I was done with that. I wanted to do something on my own. I knew I had enough backing with my clients to do it, so they gave me the kick in the pants that I needed. They said, You need to do this yourself, and well support you. I did everything on my own with my own money. Unfortunately, in the staffing industry, you dont have any assets, except for your receivables. Well, if youre new, you dont have receivables, because you dont have people out yet. So, I could not get a loan even though I was with the same bank since 98, I had $100,000 in the bank in savings, and I had an 830 credit score I could not get a loan. So, I just grabbed my money and plopped it out there, and on a wing and a prayer, things just started happening. The rst three months were pretty stressful, because its your money and I skinned my knees a couple of times on a few things, but with the help of the customers that Id had for years, they made sure I got paid quickly in the very beginning so I could get some cash ow. If it werent for them, I wouldnt be where I
Along with her stepdaughter KJ, Bell Crisps goals for 2013 include doing well with her show horses
ed up living with the top female jockey in the world, and she was my best friend forever. Tammy Purcell I just reconnected with her. Shes back in Austin, and we just reconnected after, I dont know, 20 years? But we were inseparable, and I started riding racehorses Id always ridden. I was riding before I could walk. I was in diapers when mom had me on a horse but the racehorses? That was new, that was fun, it was daring. It was a high, and so the bookkeeping went away, and I moved to California, and the rest was history. I started riding racehorses for some of the top trainers in the world. Then, I decided that I wanted to be a jockey too. So, for 15 years, I rode and trained. In that industry, I didnt have an agent. I was my agent, and it was just my gift of gab that got me on horses, because Id pick a horse that ran dead last the day before and laugh and tell the trainer, Before you send him to the glue factory, let me work him for a week. I guarantee that horse will nish better than last. Theyd say, Oh, you cant do anything with this nag, and I would light the board every time. I would run either rst through fth every time with a long shot. And then they were like, Wow. And it was tough back then being a female jockey in a male-dominated sport. But the guys loved me. The other jockeys encouraged me to become a jockey, because I would exercise horses, and then Id say, This jockey would t this horse Youll win on him. Knowing how to get the right personality for the right horse, they asked, Why dont you just ride? So, the top jockey at Sunland Park, where I rst started out, gave me his old saddle to use, because I was afraid to spend the money I didnt know if I was going to like it or not. He gave me a saddle, and the second leading rider gave me some jock pants that still had his name on the back. The only thing I had to buy were my boots. That was it. So, I was pretty much funded by the other jockeys to get out and try something. Which is pretty incredible, especially back then, because if you were a female wanting to be a jockey, those guys tried to scare you and run you off, because you were dangerous. They didnt want you out there. And with me, they knew that I was safe, even though Im blind in my left eye. Even knowing that, they knew that I was a smart rider, and so, just having to present myself in that way, I got tough and had a blast and decided after 15 years of traveling all over the country from the east coast to the west coast and everywhere in between, I was ready to settle down. But I got all my fun out rst. Then, I came back to San Antonio and was playing competitive softball and met my husband. I love to play golf. I play golf with my customers quite often. I play in tournaments, such as ABC, AGC. My stepdaugh-
ter and husband are playing now. So, we do the family thing. Im still in horses, only its showing horses now with my stepdaughter. I look forward to going out of town and taking the paint horses and going to shows. We have a blast. Thats probably my favorite thing I do now, go with her, go to Waco and College Station, Fort Worth, Tulsa, and drive the horses up to go show. Have you been blind in one eye since birth? Yes. And you didnt nd that challenging, being up on a horse racing? No, because I have extra sensitive ears, and I can feel when somethings coming and the direction. Unless it just comes so fast, like a rock coming up. Ill know its about to hit me, but I cant do anything because I dont know where its coming from. I just had an optical nerve in the back that, according to the doctors, never connected. They said, We can operate, but she really wont get any eyesight, because I didnt have a lot of control over my eye when I was younger. But they said, eventually my eye would get strong and just move with the other one. But to this day, if I get really tired and Im talking to my customers or somebody, like at night when were at the functions, several times Ill be talking to somebody, and theyre looking behind them. And Im like, No, no, Im looking at you. My eyes getting tired. I can always tell when it starts to drift just a little so it looks like Im looking behind your shoulder, because Im tired. What do you see in the future ahead of you? Is there something youd like to do that you havent done? No, I think Ive lived a pretty darn good life, because I waited so long to get married that I took the trips. I went to Cabo, I went to Cancun, I went to the Cayman Islands, and I did it all on my own. I didnt need to drag somebody with me. I loved the freedom of being out and doing what I wanted to do, because I knew at some point, I was going to settle down, and then I did, and we travel. The goal that I have this year is to win at the world level with the paints. In June, my stepdaughter and I will be going to the Pinto World Show for two weeks in Tulsa, and then the two weeks after that, well be at the Paint Show, so well be gone the whole month of June, showing horses. As far as goals, my show at the Paint level will be in November, so Im looking forward to seeing how my new horse does. Thats the goal on the personal side to do really well at the horse shows this year. Business-wise, just to have more free time in Austin and really get Austin going. Its xin to break open up there, and Im really excited about that. mp
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New leaders for a new year
Submitted to Construction News
Threes a crowd
ith 2013 getting underway, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is shaking things up. The employee-owned company has made some changes in leadership as the Texas construction forecast promises opportunities for growth. Randy Pawelek is making the move from president to chairman, but he will retain his position as CEO. He has served the company as president since 2008. As Pawelek steps up, Harry Moeller will take his place as president. Moellers new position will require him to oversee daily operations at the companys local and regional ofces. This ongoing, planned leadership transition is not about letting go or handing off, but allowing others to step forward, Pawelek said in a statement. Since 1959, many have stepped forward to help lead our organization forward. It is the result of vision, planning, hard work, working smart, and most of all, great teamwork.
L-R: Randy Pawelek and Harry Moeller have stepped up into new positions to lead Bartlett Cocke into 2013.
As Moeller assumes the role of president, a position that has been held by Bartlett Cocke Jr. and Duane Pozza, he comes with a long history of experience with the company. Starting in 1985 as a eld engineer, he worked his way up to project manager, vice president of estimating, and his former position, executive vice president. Others have been promoted as well. Kevin Byrd is the new vice president of operations for Central Texas. James Anderson has become the new South Texas regional manager. Mark Christensen is now the East Texas regional manager. And Nathan Olson, who has been serving as interim director of preconstruction, has been ofcially promoted to the position. Regarding the many changes in leadership, Moeller commented that the Texas economy is poised for growth and Bartlett Cocke is ready for those emerging economic opportunities. mp
L-R: Doug Myron, Brad Jensen and R. Steve Franklin say hello from Fore Construction Inc., a commercial general contracting company founded in 2009. ab
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The Ja-Mar Roong & Sheet Metal has a new location on I-35.
resident David Phillips says the history of Ja-Mar Roong & Sheet Metal dates back into the late 1800s. When two prominent roong companies here in Austin, one established in 1890 and another established in 1939, decided to retire they turned over their businesses to Ja-Mar, Phillips said. Some of these relationships continue to this day. James McKinney is the senior consultant/founder, Marlyn McKinney is the ofce manager and Danny McCoy and Isi Sekula are sales consultants. According to Phillips, the company recently moved to a location on Interstate 35. We are planning for an open house this summer, he said. We still maintain our original location in South Austin as well. It serves as a sales ofce and storage yard. We also have ofces in the Rio Grande Valley and Abilene, TX.
There is a diverse bunch here but shing, golng and barbequing stand out as hobbies. One unique talent we have here is the ability to produce custom sheet metal fabrication. As sheet metal has always been an important part of our roong business we have also produced some creative sheet metal applications for our clients. We have several cooks here at the company with some very custom pits. Over the years, we have sponsored the Wimberley Texas Football, Onion Creek Kennels, and various other groups with relationships to our company personnel. Ja-Mar Roong & Sheet Metal is roofing and sheet metal contractor servicing the commercial and residential needs of the State of Texas. Established in 1970 in Austin the company has maintained the same phone number for more than 40 years. JaMar Roong & Sheet Metal also has related companies Ja-Mar Exteriors and Ja-Mar Solar. ab
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Simple tax deferral steps that can increase cash ow this year
Paige Heard, CPA, Tax Manager Van Houten & Associates, PC Round Rock, TX n todays economy, most construction companies are actively looking for ways to increase their cash ow. A simple and low cost way to achieve this is to request to change your companys method of accounting with the IRS. This can accomplish signicant tax savings now, and result in that much needed increase in cash ow. The IRS requires Form 3115 for this purpose, and it can still be led for automatic changes effective for the 2012 tax year up until the due date (including extensions) of your 2012 tax return. Discussed below is two such automatic accounting method changes of which you may be able to take advantage this year. Excluding Retainages in Accrual Method of Accounting for Short-term Contracts If your company uses the accrual method of accounting for its short-term contracts (those contracts started and completed in the same year), then you may request an automatic change to the accrual method excluding retainages. This entails the reporting of the retainage portion of a contract to be deferred until the work is completed and accepted by the owner. If this does not occur until a subsequent year, then tax on this retainage portion will not be due until that subsequent year. This change in accounting method also requires that any retainages payable to subcontractors must be excluded from deductions for that project until such time that the work is completed and accepted by the owner. Segregating Property Costs of Real Property Used in your Business This tax deferral strategy involves the accelerated depreciation deduction of components of property owned by and used in your business. It can be used when property is constructed or purchased, even if the construction or purchase occurred in previous years. Usually, a relatively inexpensive engineering study must be done that segregates the total cost of the real property into categories, such as personal property, land improvements, building components, and land. Once the engineering study is complete, then the various categories of property segregated may be available for shorter useful lives rather than the standard 39-year useful life to which real property or building improvements are normally subject, which will most likely result in signicant accelerated depreciation deductions currently. Another advantage of this automatic change in accounting for depreciation is the ease of writing off the un-depreciated cost of an asset that becomes damaged or needs replacement. An example of this is a roof that needs replacement. Under the traditional method of accounting for real estate improvements, there would be no disposition and tax loss for the roof if the costs of the original building were not segregated. If cost segregation was applied, then the replacement of a roof with un-depreciated cost would be reported for tax purposes as a disposition and a loss would be allowed for that remaining amount. Paige Heard joined Van Houten & Associates, PC (VHA) in 2007, and has been a CPA for over 23 years. Her experience includes ten years as an Internal Revenue Agent in the Austin IRS ofce, and six years in public accounting with VHA, with primary emphasis on tax preparation and tax planning provided to constructionrelated companies and their owners. Paige can be contacted at paige.heard@vhacpa. com or 512-310-9277.
Contractual Liability Insurance for third party over actions

Charles E. Comiskey, Vice President Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates, Inc. Houston, TX
exas House Bill 2093, the Construction-Related Anti-Indemnication and Anti-Additional Insured Act (the Act, and my title, not theirs), has been in effect for over a year now. This Act declared any requirements to defend, indemnify or hold harmless another party for their negligence (whether joint, concurrent, sole, strict, gross, etc.) or that of anyone for whom they are responsible (agents, employees, anyone under the control or supervision of the Indemnitee) are void and unenforceable. It further declared that any additional insured requirements covering the same issues are also void and unenforceable. So unless you are in one of the types of business excluded by this Act (residential or municipal work), youre in the clear, right? Well, not exactly. The Act contains an important exception applicable to injury or death of employee of the Indemnitor (the downstream party), its agents or subcontractors. Indemnication and additional insured requirements that remain permissible under Texas law include the required assumption of the Indemnitees (the upstream party) joint, concurrent and/or sole negligence with regard to this exception. What is the signicance of this? Assume a subcontractors employee is injured on the job. He makes a workers compensation claim and is prohibited by law from suing his employer. He can, however, bring suit against upstream parties, who then tender the suit back to that employer for defense and indemnication under the employers general liability insurance. This process is commonly referred to as a Third Party Over Action. Contractual indemnication arises from liability assumed in a contract. It applies to liability not normally imposed by law you are liable only because you have agreed to be liable. There are a variety of insurance issues pertinent to this exposure that require your attention. From the standpoint of the contractual liability insurance provided by a general liability policy, there are four: 1. An Amended Denition of Insured Contract endorsement (CG 24 26) limits coverage to bodily injury and property damage caused, in whole or in part, by you or by those acting on your behalf. By denition, that excludes injury or damage caused solely by an upstream party. The effect is to exclude coverage for the assumption of that partys sole negligence even though permitted by law. 2. A Contractual Liability Limitation endorsement (CG 21 39) is one of the most hazardous exclusions in the insurance industry, completely deleting coverage for
most liabilities assumed in an indemnication provision. 3. Sneakier are numerous endorsements that modify or delete the exception to the general liability policys Employers Liability exclusion. Coverage for Third Party Over Actions is provided by this exception, and its deletion exposes a contractor to one of the most common types of construction litigation with no coverage. 4. Even when the contractual liability coverage hasnt been modied in any manner, its important to recognize that defense costs paid in behalf of an Indemnitee are not paid outside of, or in addition to your limits of liability, but are paid inside of limits, eroding those limits. If you have a $1,000,000 per occurrence limit and spend $400,000 defending an Indemnitee, you only have $600,000 left for payment of any damages. In this last example, who wins? Not the Indemnitee, who thought it was getting the benet of a full $1,000,000 limit, only to nd that the remaining limit is substantially reduced. Not the Indemnitor (a/k/a the downstream contractor) who (1) not only paid dearly for this coverage, but (2) is now having to share its limits with the upstream party, and (3) even worse, is having those limits rapidly eroded by defense costs. Who wins? The insurance company, who now is having to pay far less, saving money with every dollar paid to defend an Indemnitee. Whats the moral to this story? There are two: 1. Do not permit any endorsements to your coverage or that of a downstream contractor that might limit or eliminate coverage for the liability assumed in an indemnication provision; and 2. Require consistency in your coverage. If you agree to indemnify for sole negligence, obtain additional insured coverage that provides that same scope of coverage. Defense costs paid in behalf of an additional insured are paid outside of limits of liability. Additional insured issues abound, but theres good news on the horizon. More on that next month. Charles E. Comiskey, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, CRM, PWCA, CRIS, CCM, is Sr. V.P. of Brady Chapman Holland & Associates. Comiskey is a nationally recognized expert and frequent speaker on risk management and insurance issues to various legal, construction and real estate associations and similar groups across the country. He has served as a pre-trial consultant/expert witness in approximately 200 matters in State and Federal courts, serving in behalf of both the defense and plaintiff. He can be contacted at 713 979 9706 or charles.comiskey@bchinsurance.com
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L-R: Branch manager Mark Longbine and sales representative Juan Martinez plan for a great New Year at Morrison Supply Co., a wholesale distributor of plumbing, HVAC and builder products. ab
Page 7
I did the work; now how do I get paid and can I recover my attorneys fees?
West W. Winter, Partner McNelis + Winter, PLLC San Antonio, TX
OSHA issues nal rule on digger derricks

Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
ood questions! A number of avenues and causes of action exist in Texas to assist contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in obtaining payment for work properly performed and materials provided for a construction project. ments and loan receipts are trust funds if they are made to or borrowed by a contractor or subcontractor under a construction contract for the improvement of real property. Contractors, subcontractors, or owners and their ofcers, directors, and agents who receive or control the trust funds are considered to be trustees of these funds. Those who furnish labor or material for the construction of the improvement are the beneciaries of the trust funds. A trustee who retains, uses, disburses, or otherwise diverts the trust funds without rst fully paying all obligations to the beneciaries, is deemed to have misapplied the trust funds. While certain exceptions, exclusions, and defenses apply, criminal penalties exist for misapplication of these trust funds, and the courts allow for a civil cause of action. Prompt Payment Act Another statutory tool to assist in compelling payment is the Prompt Payment Act pursuant to Chapter 28 of the Texas Property Code. This statute requires payment of contractors and subcontractors within the timeframe specied in the Act and allows for the recovery of interest on unpaid amounts. Notably, the Act also provides for the right to suspend work in certain circumstances following proper written notice. Attorneys Fees With the exception of a trust fund claim, a prevailing party asserting any of the causes of action discussed herein has the ability (in some cases an award of fees is discretionary with the court) to recovery reasonable and necessary attorneys fees. West W. Winter is a partner at McNelis + Winter, PLLC. A LEED Green Associate, West serves on the board of the Construction Law Section of the San Antonio Bar Association and is listed as one of the Best Lawyers in San Antonio for Construction Litigation. His rm aggressively represents general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in all phases of the commercial and residential construction process, from contract formation through dispute resolution, litigation, and collection. West can be reached via email: west@mcneliswinter.com.
Mechanics and Materialmans Lien Perhaps the most signicant tool in your arsenal will be the Mechanics Lien. Governed by Chapter 53 of the Texas Property Code, statutory mechanics liens, if timely and properly perfected, secure your right to payment against the project. While the specics of proper lien perfection are complicated and beyond the scope of this article, perfection of a lien claim generally requires timely and proper written notice of the unpaid debt, timely recording of a proper lien afdavit in the real property records in the county in which the project is located, and timely giving notice of the led lien to the owner and general contractor. Be aware that suit must also be led to enforce/foreclose the lien claim within the limitations period mandated by Chapter 53 (typically one or two years, depending on the type of project) or the lien will be extinguished. Contractors having an agreement directly with the projects owner may further enforce constitutional lien rights which exist independently of any notice or recording requirements. Rights may alternatively exist under a payment bond if work is performed on a public or bonded private project. Strict time and notice requirements also exist for the proper perfection of a bond claim and will differ depending on whether the project is state or federal. Breach of Contract, Quantum Meruit and Sworn Account Whether or not a mechanics lien has been perfected, you may also assert a cause of action for breach of contract as a result of non-payment. In some instances, such as when there is no express contract, where the work performed is outside the scope of the agreement, or when the work is partially performed, an equitable cause of action may exist for quantum meruit. Typically, suppliers to construction projects will also be able to avail themselves of a suit on sworn account and in instances where they have secured a personal guaranty, suit against the individual guarantors. Violation of the Texas Construction Trust Fund Statute Chapter 162 of the Texas Property Code mandates that construction pay-
digger derrick or radial boom derrick is a specialized type of equipment designed to install utility poles. A digger derrick typically is equipped with augers to drill holes for the poles and with a hydraulic boom to lift the poles and set them in the holes. Employers also use the booms to lift objects other than poles; accordingly, electric utilities, telecommunication companies, and their contractors use booms both to place objects on utility poles and for general lifting purposes at worksites. When OSHA promulgated subpart V (Power Transmission and Distribution) in 1972, it excluded digger derricks from certain requirements of the OSHA crane rule in construction. When the Agency promulgated the nal Cranes and Derricks in Construction rule, OSHAs primary concern about extending the digger-derrick exemption beyond pole work was that such an extension would provide employers with an incentive to use digger derricks on construction sites to perform construction tasks normally handled by cranes--tasks that are beyond the original design capabilities of a digger derrick. The utility industry determined that the exception in the crane rule covered 95% of their work with digger derricks while installing electric utilities, but did not cover several routine tasks for which digger derricks are used. These other tasks would require digger derrick operators to be certied operators under the crane rule. Fully exempting digger derricks from the scope of the standard also eliminates costs for other activities besides
operator certication, such as inspections and power-line safety. If an employer uses a digger derrick for subpart V or telecommunications work without complying with all of the requirements in subpart V or Sec. 1910.268, then the work is not exempt, and the employer must comply with all of the requirements of subpart CC of 29 CFR 1926 (the Crane Rule). OSHA is proposing to exclude all uses of digger derricks from coverage by the crane rule, when used in accordance with subpart V for power transmission and generation. Digger derricks when used for augering holes for poles carrying electric or telecommunication lines, placing and removing the poles, and for handling associated materials for installation on, or removal from, the poles, or when used for any other work subject to subpart V. To be eligible for this exclusion, digger-derrick use in work subject to subpart V of this part must comply with all of the provisions of that subpart V, and digger-derrick use in construction work for telecommunication service (as dened at Sec. 1910.268(s)(40)) must comply with all of the provisions of Sec. 1910.268. The nal rule is available on the OSHA website: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_ table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=23516 natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
Blackjack champs
Allied Electric Services Inc. held a casino-themed Christmas party at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce in late December. Approximately 75 people attended the event. ab
Page 8
Beam me up, Scotty
Industry FOLKS
Ramiro Villegas
Yard Hand/Mechanic
Mathis Rentals
wo years is how long Ramiro Villegas has worked at Mathis Rentals in Bastrop, TX. I work in the yard and in the mechanic shop on a daily basis, Ramiro said. I power wash and service the equipment. I change the oil on the equipment. Villegas says he wanted to work in the equipment business because he always liked mechanic work. I am originally from Gareld, TX, he said. I attended and graduated from Del Valle High School. In school, I wasnt into sports or music - I liked to spend my free time working on cars. After high school, Villegas found a job doing landscape work in Georgetown, TX for a little while. Next, he decided to earn a living as a mechanic. My favorite part about working at Mathis Rentals is it is closer to my home and I like working on equipment and being outside in the yard. I really like the folks I work with at the company. They are a great group of people. Hobbies Villegas enjoys on the side are playing basketball with friends and family and going to the park with his children on the weekends and after they get home from school. I like to exercise, and playing
Rogers-OBriens new high-tech BIM department
echnology: We see it all around us every day. From smartphone apps and interactive TV, to cars that talk to you as you drive down the road, were truly beginning to look at least a little like those old sci- movies and TV shows that most of us remember. Technology is especially prevalent in the way that construction companies operate their businesses now. General contractor SpawGlass has a new iPad app (TED) that helps customers develop a realistic budget for commercial construction projects, offering costper-square foot categories in 49 pre-dened divisions. The square-foot pricing is calculated based on the average of historical costs of past projects. Costs in the system are adjusted to todays dollars. I just recently completed a parking garage for Texas State, said Bryan Kent, SpawGlass. I could quickly get estimated cost per square foot and some examples for the customer.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the name of the game now in construction, and Rogers-OBrien Construction has renovated its Dallas ofce to adapt to the technological movement that uses digital representations throughout a buildings construction and operational life. Weve organized our upstairs around what we call our BIM pen, said Bob Bullis. Our renovated and recongured workspaces encourage communication. TDIndustries, a mechanical contractor, uses a combination of manpower and the Internet to improve a buildings efciency. We take information from an existing building control system and receive it through the Internet. Each point is recorded every ve minutes, said Ken Scheepers, TDIndustries. We can then diagnose problems and improve efciency. ms
basketball is a great workout, he said. My kids and I usually go to a park near downtown Bastrop. I have two sons, 7 and 3 and a daughter, 1. My oldest son likes playing soccer with his friends. Attending my sons soccer games keeps us busy on the weekends. We mainly stay around Bastrop, though. The kids also like to go to the skating rink and the movie theater every now and then. We dont really have to leave to go into Austin. We have everything we need close to home. I cherish the time I spend with my kids. They make me laugh every day. I love being a father. Every day is a new adventure when you have three kids. In the future, Id like to keep working as a yard hand and mechanic at Mathis Rentals. I am currently working to get my diesel mechanic license. I think it is important to keep learning and improving. ab
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A merger fastened together
San Antonio (210) 657-3030
Austin (512) 385-3535
L-R: Patrick Pulliam, Karen Metzger, Kyle Anderson, DeWalt; and Mark Ross, Powers Fasteners
his is a story about power tools and the fasteners they t. Actually, its about two companies that were a perfect t for a merger Dewalt and Powers Fasteners. Since the merge in October, DeWalt Powers, has been dealing in both product lines and is more focused on construction. I think that Stanley Black & Decker [DeWalts parent company] decided to take the opportunity to combine the two brand names together, says Mark Ross, branch manager for Powers Fasteners in Stafford, TX. The idea is providing the entire package to the construction industry. Ross says that before the merger, he couldnt make recommendations to contractors or distributors who actively call on jobsites regarding tools that would work best with their the anchors. Now, he says the knowledge of the power tool end from DeWalts side has given him a better understanding of his end users
needs. I think youre helping the contractor in the end, because you can make a recommendation on the entire package, so I think you reduce the chances of error on the contractors part. Kyle Anderson, account manager at DeWalts San Antonio location, is excited by the synergy between the two companies, believing it will allow sales and customer service representatives to help their customers get their jobs done more efciently. The neat thing is that now weve got more guys out in the eld where we can solve more opportunities, Anderson says of the merger. Theres more of us working together. DeWalt has Factory Service Centers in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Carrolton, and McAllen. Powers Fasteners has branch ofces in Dallas and the Houston area with outside sales covering the state from those two locations. mp
Page 9
Trophy trout game plan

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Majek Boats, Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing, Pueger Reels, All-Star Rods, Mirr-O-Lure and Columbia Sportswear.
ne of the most popular questions I get throughout the year is, When is the best time to go shing? My answer is always the same, Any time you can. Second most asked question is, What do I have to do to catch a trophy trout? Well the answer to that question can vary a bit. First, you have to ask yourself, How committed am I to accomplishing such a task? Trophy trout are similar to trophy whitetail deer. Youre not going to sit in a deer blind and have a 180-class whitetail come out during every hunt, unless you are on one of those high fence ranches that grow monster deer and release them into the wild. It takes countless hours and, in most cases, countless days spent in the eld or on the water to see such a trophies much less harvest them. For the next few months, we will spend many days walking countless miles wading the shallow waters of the Laguna Madre and Bafn Bay in search of one of the most sought after trophies that roam the inshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Most anglers know that win-
tertime is when speckled trout are at their peak weight. A 30-inch trout caught in the middle of the summer may only weigh 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 lbs; whereas that same sh may be 9-1/2 to 10 lbs in the winter. These heavier trout make your catch that much more gratifying. One of the most important tools to have before you venture out for your day on the water is something that cant be purchased. A GAME PLAN must always be one of the rst things you should have before you leave the dock. If youve kept logs in the past like most serious anglers do, review them. Think back to previous years or outings that were successful. What lures did you throw and which ones did you have the most success with? What were the weather conditions like cold, windy, cloudy, sunny, etc? Try to predict what your day is going to be like and look back to nd a similar day in your logs. Dont be like most routine shermen who go to the same spots over and over because they caught a good sh there 11 years ago. Now that you have arrived to your
pre-designated shing spot, your next decision should be which lure to throw. My suggestion to most of my clients is to throw a lure you have condence in. I always start out with a lure that has been a producer for me in the past. Dont get caught up in some new item that came in a fancy package and costs a small fortune or a lure that your buddy gave you and said these are what I catch all my sh on. If I have a group of customers, I always try to mix it up. I start everyone off with a different lure. This helps me determine what the sh are wanting on that given day. After we have established what the sh want we can all go to the same type of lure. If you would like to plan a trophy trout shing trip in the next month or so, dont procrastinate it any longer. Now is the time! Also, those of you that are waiting for spring and summer to get your shing in, my calendar is rapidly lling. I can be reached by phone at (361) 8133716 or by e-mail at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Good luck and good shing.
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Good luck charm
Reighan Antoine (right) went deer hunting with her dad Rich, Niece Equipment, for the rst time on a friends ranch outside of Richland Springs in San Saba County. Antoine says it was a great hunt and a perfect time for some "daddy/daughter" bonding. ab
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC

BAFFIN BAY LAGUNA MADRE LAND CUT SPECKLED TROUT REDFISH FLOUNDER FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS www.bafnbaycharters.com steveschultzoutdoors@gmail.com U.S. Coast Guard & Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
(361) 949-7359
Page 10
Ken Milams Fishing Line

Sponsored by Tropical Marine and Honda Marine My name is Ken Milam and, for the past 26 years, I have been guiding shing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country. Over the years, Ive had the opportunity of getting to know a good many folks in the construction trade.
Hiding places
t this writing, we are having a welcome stretch of warmer weather. The warm days after a cold spell just get me itching to get out and do something! I gure Im not the only one who feels that way, so lets get cracking! Spring is coming! Now that we are nished with deer season and have put the ries away, its time to look forward to spring and summer shing. You know how you used to say you liked going to Lake So-and-So, but you are getting bored with it and need to go try somewhere else? Well, this year you are in luck. If you are like so many of us and are surrounded by lakes that have below normal water levels, you just got yourself a brand new lake without having to travel somewhere else. I know you have seen and heard me say this before, but it is still true. Low lakes are lakes that are giving up their secrets! Before they ll up again, you need to get yourself out there with your camera and GPS and in some cases a good pair of hiking shoes. Go nd the places you have had good shing and get an up close look at why it has been productive. Look for points, drop-offs and rock piles, any place for sh to hide or hang around. Take pictures, make notes and get GPS coordinates. Now you are ready to go exploring the lake bed and nding other places that have the same traits, places you havent been aware of with the lake full. I can drive across the empty lake bed and see a lot of spots that I have caught sh on for years. Now I can see why those places hold sh. You can know of a place and know how it looks by sh nder, but still be surprised at the way it looks when you actually get to see it with your own eyes.
Bluebonnet diamonds
Make a day trip of it. Stuff the ice chest with good stuff to eat and drink and load up the kids just like you were going shing, but instead of bringing the boat and all the tackle, let the kids bring their own entertainment. One thing a low lake has to offer is lots of open space to run. They can y kites, have room to play with the remote control toys they got for Christmas, or just have fun exploring. Meanwhile, you get in some shing research and get a chance to look for good places to launch your boat and such. That way when you are coming to the lake to sh, you already have the hard part done and can focus on shing and having a good time. If you are not comfortable with taking your own boat to a low lake, then seek out a good shing guide. They are on the lake frequently and familiar with it as it changes, and how the sh have been moved around. Also, dont forget all the little lake area businesses that support your shing trips. From the bait shops to the convenience store you used to fuel up at, to the little shing camp where you used to spend the night and the little caf that fed you breakfast, all these folks would be happy to see you too! If you dont do this now, you might be kicking yourself when the lakes ll up!
So many places for a sh to hide
If I had a nickel for every sh I caught here
(325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com
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Page 11
Line em up
SEND IN YOUR PHOTOS . . .
15 to 500 Ton Capacities

L-R: Manor Foster, Keep Austin Level, and his son, Skyler Hudson, recently enjoyed pheasant hunting in Satanta, KS. ab
Available for your Toughest Projects

Alamos new 400-ton Liebherr Crane erecting tower crane at hospital expansion on Madison Oaks Drive in San Antonio, Tx
The race is on
from El Paso to Beaumont Amarillo to Brownsville
C2 Mechanical Services (C2) hosted a Christmas event at K1 Speed for all employees and key suppliers in late December. Mike Creamer, C2 president, (center) won the nal race of the day. ab
Successful outing
Project Manager Tina Reeves, Rexel Austin, says her nephew, Cory Hall, shot this deer in Giddings, TX during hunting season. ab
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Page 12
A whale of a hog
First buck
Austin Lumber Co. Inc. submitted this photo of Logan Dodd and the large wild hog he snagged in Bastrop County. ab
Julia Bayer, 7, daughter of Chris Bayer, Austin Glass & Mirror Inc., harvested this buck in Gillespie County during the special youth weekend. ab
Among the wildowers
Miniature horses for miniature people
Enjoying spending time outside, Doucet & Associates employees recently participated as a group in a volunteer day at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildower Center. ab
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Page 13
The lucky 13
he Associated General Contractors (AGC) Austin chapter honored local construction projects and the teams that made them possible at its 2012 Outstanding Construction Awards Banquet. Approximately 160 guests attended the event held Jan. 25 at the AT&T Conference Center on the University of Texas campus. Austins chapter handed out awards in 13 categories. mp
Specialty Construction Chasco Constructors PARD Aquatic Facilities Improvement Project, Deep Eddy Pool
Interior Finish Out 2 ($500,000-$2 million) Sabre Commercial, Inc. Brown McCarroll 14th & 15th Floors
Interior Finish Out 1 ($0-$500,000) Braun & Butler Construction Neill Cochran House Museum Historical Restoration and Preservation
Building 2 ($2 million-$5 million) Kiewit Building Group MD Anderson Cancer Center Bastrop Campus Construction + Renovation Project
Health Care 1 ($0-$10 million) Chasco Constructors Oakwood Surgery Center
Building 1 ($0-$2 million) Braun & Butler Construction University Presbyterian Church Phase 2 Improvements
Building 5 ($30 million-$75 million) Bartlett Cocke General Contractors for Westwood High School, Addition & Renovations, Phase II
Building 4 ($10 million-$30 million) Austin Commercial for Bobcat Stadium North Side Complex
Building 3 ($5 million-$10 million) Rogers-OBrien Construction Company, Ltd. Wycliff- Freeman Dormitory & Faculty Residences
Interior Finish Out 3 ($2 million-$5 million) The Beck Group Norman Hackerman Building, Imaging Suite
Interior Finish Out 4 (Over $5 million) Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Texas Department of Transportation Dewitt C. Greer Building
Building 6 (Over $75 million) Austin Commercial for Circuit of the Americas/Formula 1 US Grand Prix
Health Care 2 ($10 million-$30 million) Rogers-OBrien Construction Company, Ltd. Reliant Austin Rehabilitation Hospital
Page 14
Industry FOLKS
Gilbert Pena
Driver
The winds of change
Triple-S Steel
ilbert Pena says he mostly spends time working in Austin and San Antonio these days. There is no typical day when you are a driver, Pena said. Every day is different. For example, I unloaded material and drove in the pouring rain yesterday. Today, I am driving in beautiful weather. It is a great day. I am glad I to be outside on days like today. I have never wanted to be cooped up in an ofce or a building. I prefer to be on the road. After high school, people asked me what I wanted to do, and I gave it a lot of thought. As a teenager, I used to love to drive and I remember thinking I wanted to be a truck driver. So, thats what I did. I think to be a good driver, you have to have experience. Everyone starts green. The more time you put into it, the more experience you get and the better you are at it. My job responsibilities nowadays are to drop off customers orders, load the material on the truck, and make six or seven stops during the day. Pena says he started driving small vans in the 70s. He received his Commercial Drivers License (CDL) in 1991 and started driving large trucks.
Pena says on the side, his hobbies include going to San Antonio Spurs games. His favorite basketball player is Manu Ginobili. I go to the game, especially during the playoffs, he said. I am hoping they make it all the way in 2013. Last year, I thought they were going to win the play-offs. Pena says he also enjoys photography as a hobby. Sometimes I will be driving and I will see something I want to photograph. I was recently in Kingsland near Marble Falls, TX. Right before you get into Kingsland there is a granite hill with a great view of the Colorado River at the top. I thought it was so beautiful I had to stop. I love taking photos in the Hill Country. I have been interested in photography since the 80s. I am already in my mid-50s and I plan to keep driving for many years to come. Maybe one day I will submit my photography and get published! ab
aba Kistner Consultants, Inc. has two co-pilots taking the controls, helping to y the engineering rm into 2013. Chris Schultz PE, PMP and Paul Lampe have accepted co-leadership of Raba Kistner Consultants, a whollyowned subsidiary of Raba Kistner, Inc. Schultz and Lampe will be overseeing operations and nancial management of eight Texas locations from the divisions headquarters in San Antonio: Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, McAllen, and New Braunfels. Schultz has been promoted from senior vice president, a position he rose to in 2004, to president and chief operating ofcer of Consultants, and he will remain practice leader for geotechnical engineering. Lampe moves from senior vice president, a role he too assumed in 2004, to executive vice president, and he will re-
L-R: Chris Schultz and Paul Lampe take to the co-pilot chairs at Raba Kistner Consultants.
tain his responsibilities as practice leader for construction materials engineering, testing, and construction inspections. Paul and I have a lot of our time, heart and energy invested in this company, stated Schultz. We know that we are taking over leadership of an exceptionally dedicated group of employees. Lampe commented, Chris and I have worked together at Raba Kistner for 22 years, providing services to both regional and San Antonio area clients. We look forward to an expanded role in supporting operations and clients in all of our ofces. One area that I really look forward to is working with our clients to use more recycled construction materials. William Raba, president of holding company Raba Kistner, noted, This action is to support expanding the companys reach and growing our staff and service capabilities over the coming years. mp
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WI Construction Inc. (PWI), a nationwide general contractor and Austin, TX-based Four Corners Construction have recently merged to create a greater Austin area location for PWI. PWI and Four Corners Construction have had a relationship for years, said Jeff Tschida, Four Corners Construction principal. They set a standard in the marketplace and were thrilled to become part of the PWI team. According to Jeff Price, PWI president, this ofce will be a sister to their existing operations in Mesa, AZ and Las Vegas, NV. Starting in Sept. 2012, the PWI team and Four Corners Construction have been working closely together to join forces, Price said. Four Corners Construction, is a longstanding staple in the Austin residential and commercial building community. This will be the third location for PWI. Plans are set for a soft opening to ofcially introduce PWI into the Austin market. The Austin area is young and growing and were looking forward to planting roots with an ofcial location in addition to Las Vegas and Phoenix. Marc Ferguson, PWI executive vice president, says the natural symmetry between the Four Corners Construction and PWI market made it an easy decision. We have plenty of ground to cover and are excited for the prospects 2013 has to offer, Ferguson said. PWI is a general contractor specializing in luxury brand retailers, high-end hotels and restaurants. From ground up, phased remodel to interior build-outs, PWI has been working in construction since 1985. The company is licensed in 48 states. ab
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President Jeff Price, PWI Construction Inc.
Page 15
Construction Safety
Safety matters
Juan Mendoza, Safety Director Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc.
Austin, TX training we do is in-house; however, sometimes when we are required to have a specic training on specic equipment, we call the providers and have them do the training for us. For us to actually to get employees on the jobsite, we do what is called a new hire safety orientation. The orientation lasts anywhere from four to ve hours. We train our employees before they even step foot on the jobsite. According to Mendoza, there have been advances in personal protective equipment (PPE) in recent years. In 2008, there were changes in the OSHA regulations, he said. It is required that employers provide PPE. Since the change in the OSHA regulations, we now provide all the PPE, which include safety glasses, hard hats, gloves, safety harnesses, earplugs and more. In the future, I think construction safety will continue to improve. In the past, our industry had a tremendous problem in the Hispanic population be-
uan Mendoza is the safety director at the Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc. Austin, TX location but also travels to work in Dallas and San Antonio. He manages all the safety programs for the company. I train our guys on how to work safe on a daily basis and I provide bilingual training because I can speak both English and Spanish, Mendoza said. I do training on rst aid, CPR, boom lift and scissor lift equipment, scaffold and fall protection. Looking at the numbers, Mendoza says he has read fatalities have slowly but surely decreased in the past few years. I have seen a lot more training in the commercial construction industry lately, he said. If you look at the data, the fatalities in 2012 were less than the year before and the previous year. I think there has been an improvement this past year because there has been more emphasis on the safety training for the industry. It is very important for construction related companies to not just have a good safety program, it is important to implement the program. In addition, there are requirements that workers on the job have to have some level of training. That has been helping companies to step up and provide the required training to their employees. Here at Lasco Acoustics & Drywall, we have a safety program in-house. We develop and update the program on a yearly basis. We go back and review it and change things as required. Most of the
cause the workers werent getting trained before they were sent to the jobsites. Thanks to the push on the OSHA regulations and inspections, it has been changing little by little. There are more and more people out there getting together, focusing on goals and making a difference. Mendoza says he really enjoys his job as safety director. At the end of the day, when I see the workers are going home the same way they left in the morning, it is rewarding to know that they are going to go back to their families and see their children, he said. That is my biggest joy. It is very important to me that the workers are going to be safe on the job. It is not just a job, it is my passion. Lasco Acoustics & Drywall Inc. provides drywall, acoustics and plastering in the commercial construction industry. The company has a corporate ofce in Dallas and also has ofces in Austin and San Antonio. ab
Important to have re safety plan on construction sites

Chris Jelenewicz, P.E. Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Bethesda, MD usually the kinds of things that make the news. Its just something that you need to be aware of. Jelenewicz says key steps in implementing a plan to bolster re safety on your construction site include: 1) Making sure you get your superintendent involved. Make sure he is properly trained to deal with potential problems that might arise. 2) Get with the local re department involved with the plan to ensure that their needs are properly met, and make sure that there is an established water supply. Being aware of their water supply is the part that some construction companies overlook, Jelenewicz said. Its the most important thing the re department needs to have water if its going to put out a re, he said. I think thats the part that is most often forgotten about. Youve got to get those hydrants in place as soon as possible, and youve got to make sure the re department has a way to access the site with its ladder trucks. 3) Technology and the prevalence of cell phones can be used, too. You can put in place some sort of text messaging system so that people on the site can be notied immediately, Jelenewicz explains. 4) Make sure everyone knows the escape routes and that it is understood how to exit the building or site in case of an emergency. 5) If its a high rise project, two words: standpipe system. These are simple vertical pipes that allow the re department to reach each oor. On each oor, there is a connection so that the re department just has to pump water into the pipe and haul a hose up to the oor where the re is present. Its not rocket science, and it doesnt cost you too much money, but it really does make things safer, Jelenewicz said. ms
o to most construction sites these days, and youll see a safety-conscious bunch of workers. People are wearing their hard hats, theyre wearing harnesses when theyre going up in lifts, and they comply with safety practices and procedures. But another important tool for construction companies to keep their workers safe on the job site is a plan in place that prevents and protects against re emergencies, says Chris Jelenewicz, P.E., with the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. Its very important on a construction site to make sure that you have a plan so that you know exactly what to do in case of an emergency, Jelenwicz says. Things to cover in your plan include knowing whom to call in case of a re,
prevention of potential hazards involving ammable materials and liquids, and having access and water for the re department to put out any blazes should they occur. You want to make sure that when the re trucks get to the scene, that theyll be able to provide support, Jelenewicz said. Make sure re hydrants are in place as soon as possible before starting the construction process, or make sure there is an alternative way that the re department can get water. While res dont seem to be a particularly large problem these days, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Its not something you should get complacent about, Jelenewicz notes. Fires do happen. You dont usually hear about these res because they arent
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Page 16
Construction Safety
A safe way is the best way
W. C. Bill Blayney, Owner and President W. C. Blayney & Associates
Humble, TX nies that I worked for, we enjoyed the benet of ability to be self-insured. Refunds to a self-insured contractor resulted prots in excess of production savings on the jobs. We were able to determine cost in detail, able to count on less expenses on overhead and labor costs. On years that we completed $50 million in production, we expected a refund of excess workers compensation premium of more than $650,000 to add back to the bottom line. With a good safety program, and with supervision's blessing, we could count on this year-end treat annually.. With clear instruction, and use of experienced management, we always came in under estimates. Blayney says to increase safety awareness and create a safe working environment, give job supervision a corporate safety culture and ensure executive and supervision must be sold on safe behavior. He added that personal protective equipment (PPE) has always been there and every construction supplier has had all types of safety equipment on their shelves. Organizations such as the AGC, ABC, ASSE, NSC are regularly and frequently holding meetings, open to the public on how to utilize and use safety equipment to the companys greatest benet, along with saving limb, ngers, and lives. Looking ahead, Blayney thinks the industry will use more and older people, more experienced seniors, people with on the ground experience, knowledge and ability to communicate it. The most signicant challenge to the safety industry and 40,000 professional safety specialists is the sale of safety benets to owners and contractors. How much better planning, execution, safe operations, lack of lost time and enhanced production and well planned and budgeted a project can be brought to fruition and good nal payday, with no lost- time injuries. I still get a thrill out of seeing a good project come together. I love seeing concrete poured starting before daylight. Framing wood, steel, masonry going up at fantastic rates. I like to see two-year projects nishing in 18 months, and experienced crews planning and executing error free jobs. Working from the experiences of their grandfathers, dads and now we are in to the third generation of builders, building faster, safer and more productive than ever. W.C. Blayney & Associates provides loss control services and jobsite safety inspections. The company specializes in communication towers, excavation, trenching, concrete placement, framing, trim carpentry, electrical, roong, masonry and drywall safety programs. ab
.C. Bill Blayney is a professional safety consultant. During his career, he has shared his construction experience with more than 1,500 construction companies. I started in construction as a laborer, ofce clerk, purchasing agent, superintendent, general superintendent, head of cost department, specializing in workers compensation cost reduction and refunds, scheduling and organizing multiple projects for most cost effective completion and sale, Blayney said. Along with the inception of OSHA in 1971,I received a new title of safety director. Blayney says he has 52 years of active construction experience and 41 years attempting to stay in compliance with the OSHA. He says the major risks in construction are workers misunderstanding instructions and supervision in a constant rush, with incomplete information to perform tasks at hand safely. Additional risks in construction are operators not reading and understanding limitations to heavy equipment and architects and engineers avoiding safe design out of fear of liability. Many owners and managers do not want to give full information to their front line supervision. Supervision needs clear and complete instructions to line management and supervision. Also, a clear company mandate for safe operations, use of experienced safety director, foreman, superintendent, with full authority to identify and eliminate risk and errors. Results of a good safety record, gives you a competitive edge over unsafe competitors. Employees would rather work for a company with a corporate culture of being safe. Your insurance rates are lower, because you can reduce costs, because of safe behavior and can under bid your competition. You get more work, and more year end rebates from your insurance company. Of the major construction compa-
Know when to hold em

I met my wife Maria when I was in grammar school at age 12. I went home and told my mom I was going to marry her one day. She went to a different high school than I did. We dated and I took her to the prom. Fred Vierna, Longhorn Glass My wife and I met on a blind date in Lufkin, TX. We went shing at the river one afternoon. I remember we drank a half case of soda water. I dont think we caught any sh that day. We dated about a year and a half and then we got married. Elton Beaird, CenTex & Frame Inc. LJA Engineering Inc. Austin ofce employees recently had a great time playing casino games at the Red Oak Ballroom - Norris Conference Center. ab One of my fraternity brothers set my wife and I up on a blind date. Bob Allen, Cunningham Allen Inc. Engineers & Surveyors My wife, Jennifer, and I met in middle school during lunch. We got married in Round Rock in 2009. Allen Mimms, All Area Overhead I was a student at Southwest Texas State and I was running a homeless shelter. My wife Sherri was in property management and I brought some clients over to look at a place she had available. We met, we talked and she invited me over for dinner. We havent been apart since. It was one of those things. I just knew she was the one. Ted Williford, Dun-Rite Construction I met my wife, Barbara, at Texas Tech University. Marrying Barbara is the best thing I ever did. She is the sweetest person in the world and has never said anything bad about anyone. She is beautiful. She is the perfect opposite and therefore a complement to me. Jack Baum, Custom Quality Marble & Stone
How did you meet your signicant other?

My wife Heather and I met in college in Ohio. We started working together in the evenings at a bar. We were both working and going to school at the time. Today, we have two boys Parker, 3, and Preston, 2. Geoff Graham, Cavalier Construction I have been married to my wife Hilda for more than 25 years. We met under a margarita sign at Dallas Night Club many years ago. Pete Eisele, P & H Equipment Inc. My husband and I met in Dallas, TX and we decided we wanted to move to the Hill Country. We have lived in Briarcliff, TX since 2003. We fell in love with the Hill Country and wanted to stay here for good. We love going boating together on Lake Travis during the spring and summer seasons. Barbara Arnold, Spicewood Metalworks My wifes name is Beth. We were friends and neighbors in the very beginning. I cooked dinner for her, we began dating and we eventually got married. Pierce Burns, Advanced Concrete Protection I have been married to my wife, Jo, for more than 30 years. We met at Lanier High School in Austin. We were both in the band. She was a drummer like me. Today, Jo handles are bookkeeping from home. She has worked with me for about 20 years. Richard David, Davis Electric Jessica and I met after college in Austin. We both love this city! Scott Miller, Tex Painting
Page 17
continued from Page 1 Constant communcation equals success
Getting things accomplished
The waiting room
The desk area
Superior architects, top-shelf subcontractors and an excellent construction manager are why these projects came together with such success. Founded in 1984 by Scott Trimm, Trimbuilt Construction Inc. has one ofce in Austin, TX and employs 65 people. The company specializes in interior commercial ofce build-outs, industrial and medical buildings
In Oct. 2011, Trimm and Puckett changed roles and Puckett purchased the company while Scott is pursuing other avenues and working on business development for the company. Puckett has worked at Trimbuilt Construction for more than 18 years. In addition, many employees have been with the company for more than 15 years and some more 20 years. ab
L-R: April Mattson is the cashier and Peggy Smith handles the administrative duties at McCoys, a fourth generation, family-owned supplier of lumber and building supplies. ab
It takes two
continued from Page 1 30 years in Austin company had built projects for 14 school districts, including many high schools throughout the metro Austin area. However, the company has also completed projects in areas such as healthcare, parking garages and other commercial work. Heine said American Constructors was a technical builder. We know how things are built, including work done by our subcontractors, he said. To do this, we needed people who understood how buildings were built, and found that the best way to do this was hire young college graduates with degrees in construction and engineering. The people and providing a good work environment for these people are big keys to the companys success, Heine noted. The company regularly provides group activities such as an annual picnic, Christmas parties, and outside activities such as passes to ballgames, rodeos and other events, Heine said, all with the intent of providing some non-work activities where they can spend time with their co-workers, friends and families. ms
Melinda Runkle and Zachary Rhoades say the company recently bid on a commercial job at Runkle Enterprises LLC, a pool construction company. ab
continued from Page 1 Four decades and counting race at a track in Buda, TX. Cabinetmaker Mark Barrell always cooks the barbecue when we have a party. He does a little bit of everything here at the company. Jacob Jones works on the drawers and accessories and he loads and unloads the trailer. On the side, Jacob helps his father do artwork on the windows at different Chuys Tex Mex Restaurants in Texas and also out of state. In my free time, I like to go see horse races in San Antonio, TX. I have also been to Churchill Downs, a Thoroughbred racetrack in Kentucky. Hunt says Hank, a Red Heeler, is the company shop dog. Hank comes to the shop every day and hangs out while employees are busy at work. Looking ahead, we plan to stay right here in Bastrop, Hunt said. We hope to stay as busy as possible and get as much work as we can in the future! Water Street Millworks provides commercial and residential cabinetry. ab
Round-Up
Jamie Buchanan, PE, LEED AP, has been promoted to principal at JQ, a structural civil engineering and surveying company. He joined the rm in 1993. Buchanan is a structural leader focused on architectural projects. Buchanan earned his B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. ab
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows. Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month, for the next months issue (published 1st of each month). Email info to appropriate city issue, with Round-Up in the subject line: San Antonio: saEditor@ConstructionNews.net Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net Dallas/Fort Worth: dfwEeditor@ConstructionNews.net Houston: houstonEditor@ConstructionNews.net South Texas: stEditor@ConstructionNews.net
Val Ryan enjoys baking. She brought a pumpkin pie to the Christmas party.
Did you Past editions can be downloaded at know? www.ConstructionNews.net
Round-Up
Submissions
Page 18
35 and still growing
Glass act
cKim & Creed, Inc., an engineering, surveying and planning rm that operates SURVCON, a division in Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth, is celebratMichael Creed ing its 35th anniversary this year. Chairman and CEO Michael Creed, Ph.D., PE, said the rm was pleased to have reached the milestone, and would continue to improve and grow as it looked ahead to its future. In our 35 years of operation, McKim & Creed has grown from a two-person structural engineering company to a 400-person infrastructure consultancy with ofces throughout the United States, Creed said. Most recently, weve added LiDAR to our services, which is particularly strong in our Texas market. Were also expanding into the green market, providing services for micro grids and renewable energy projects. These are things that Herb McKim and I never dreamed of when we started the company in 1978. Its exciting to reect upon the technological advances
that have been made during the past 35 years, and to plan the future direction of McKim & Creed. As it reaches the noteworthy milestone, the company is getRoger Woods ting bigger, acquiring the assets of North Carolina-based United Engineering Group, which is a leader in the design of solar photo voltaic systems and containerized energy storage systems for solar and wind energy production. UEG Chairman Roger Woods, PE, will oversee McKim & Creeds energy and electrical design services. As it amasses more professionals with energy expertise, the company plans to be involved in the extensive shale areas of South Texas. We are not yet involved in this area but plan to be in the near future, Creed said. Right now were expanding our Texas staff to include more professionals with extensive backgrounds in the oil and gas industry, and these people will help us grow into this specic area of the energy market. ms
Manager Fred Botello oversees operations at RMK Glass in Bastrop, TX. The company provides residential, commercial and auto glass services. ab
Whistling while they work
P is for precision
The Precision Commercial Plumbing Co Inc. staff
uperintendent Richie Blevins says positive changes have taken place at Precision Commercial Plumbing Co. Inc. in Pugerville, TX. We are now a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) company, Blevins said. My wife Lynne is the owner and president. She is here at the ofce every day and works 40 hours a week. Blevins says the company recently brought on a drafter named Steve Cantril to do the building information modeling (BIM) work. We are also actively pursuing our license to install re protection systems in addition to handling commercial plumbing work in the Austin and surrounding areas, he said. Blevins says he started going to jobsites with his father when he was 8 or 9. He worked with his father during the summer.
The greatest lesson my dad taught me was the concept of taking pride in your work and doing it right, he said. I really think it is important to take the time to do the job right the rst time. Blevins says on the side Lynne likes to do event planning. She helps people plan bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah and birthday parties. Lynne, our daughters and I travel to North Carolina and Tennessee to see Lynnes family at least once a year, he said. A couple of years ago, Lynne and I enjoyed taking our girls to Disney World in Orlando, FL. We went to the Epcot Center and the Magic Kingdom. That was a fun time. We wanted to take our daughters to Disney World before they went to college. Established in 1981, Precision Commercial Plumbing Co. Inc. is a commercial plumbing company. ab
ood news, industry jobseekers! Four of Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work For are construction companies with locations in Texas. Balfour Beatty Construction and TDIndustries, both headquartered in Dallas, came in at 85 and 86 on the list respectively. TDIndustries has been named to the same list for 16 consecutive years, which gives them a distinction shared by only 12 other companies; theyve made the list every year since its inception in 1998. Balfour Beatty has made the list four times in a row. DPR Construction, a general contractor with ofces in Austin and Houston, achieved position number 15 on the list. PCL Construction Enterprises, a civil engineering design/build rm with ofces in Dallas and Houston, came in at 73. Bob Richards, president of Central Texas operations for TDIndustries, stated, We are committed to providing outstanding career opportunities
by exceeding our customers expectations through continuous aggressive improvement. More than 20 percent of the employee-owned companys partners are still with the rm since it rst appeared on the list. Robert Van Cleave, chairman and CEO of Balfour Beatty, commented, Im very proud about what it says about the quality of people we have here. Our company has endured a tough economy and weathered the challenges of being a rapidly growing business; and yet, our employees continue to be positively engaged in our business, their communities, and each other. They are the ones who make this a great place to work, consistently striving to earn the repeat trust of their coworkers, partners, and clients. Businesses are ranked based on questions about pay, benets, hiring practices, internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts. mp
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News ACCA

Air Conditioning Contractors of Amer.
Association Calendar
Feb. 5: General Membership meeting For more info: www.accaaustin.org
Feb. 15: Monthly Luncheon, 11:30am, Threadgills on Riverside Feb. 28: Board Meeting, 11:30am, AGC ofce For more info: www.austinnawic.org
AGC
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TSPE
Texas Society of Professional Engineers
CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY, INC.

Decorative Concrete Products Concrete Floor Stains Concrete Sealers & Densiers Color Admixtures & Hardeners Sealants Epoxies Polyureas Damproong & Waterproong Water Repellants & Coatings Application Materials And Much More!
Feb. 1: TEEX OSH 510 Standards for Construction Industry Feb. 5-8: TEEX PRT 123 Scaffold Safety Feb. 12: Safety Committee meeting Feb. 12-15: TEEX OSH 500 Train the Trainer Feb. 21-22: OSHA 10 Hour Training Feb. 26-27: TEEX PRT 256 Medic First Aid CPR For more information call 512-442-7887
Feb. 16: MathCounts Competition Feb. 22: 2013 Engineers Week Banquet, Radisson Hotel Downtown For more info go to www.tspe-travis.org
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Ofce: 512-837-1028 Fax: 512-837-7234 www.csiconcretesupply.com

404 West Powell Lane Suite 201 Austin, Texas 78753
Feb. 7: Chapter Meeting, 5:30pm, Texas Land & Cattle, Industry appreciation and 55th birthday party
Feb. 6: LEED Green Associate 6-Week Exam Prep Course, 5-7pm, (Wednesdays) AGC ofce in Waco, TX Feb. 6: LEED AP BD+C Exam Prep, 6-8pm, (Wednesdays) AGC ofce in San Antonio Feb. 19: LEED 251 Full Day Workshop: Understanding LEED NC 2009, earn 7 GBCI CE and 7 AIA CES/LU hours, 8am5pm, AGC ofce in Austin Feb. 21: Lunchtime Learning Series, in Waco - Principles of LEED: LEED Implementation, earn 1.5 GBCI CE hours, 11am1pm, AGC ofce in Waco. For more info: www.usgbc-centraltexas. org
Page 19
O
TX.
Windows of opportunity
worked out great. We are planning to have an open house event in May. According to Ringer the new facility has 5,000sf of ofce and showroom space. Our showroom is called The Walk of Windows, he said. We built a maze of full sized walls and we put up more than 40 full sized doors and windows in all the different colors, styles and options. We wanted customers to be able to come into the showroom and touch and feel everything that we make here at Ringer Windows. Ringer says the company provides full installation services for replacement windows as well as direct sales to contractors, remodelers and building professionals.
riginally based in Pugerville, TX, Ringer Windows has relocated to a new 40,000sf facility in Taylor,
We will be able to service Central Texas from our ofce in Taylor, said Greg Ringer, owner. There was a point at our Pugerville location where we couldnt expand or grow because we had a limited amount of space. We couldnt stock anything and we couldnt add any new lines of windows at the 10,000sf facility. We built the Taylor facility because we needed more space for the windows and the equipment. Our options were to move to a larger lease space or nd a place and build. Taylor had a land grant program we liked and it was a good deal. In addition, Taylor was not much further away from Pugerville, so it
The Ringer Windows facility in Taylor, TX
Established in 2007, Ringer Windows manufactures energy efcient vinyl windows, sliding patio doors and heavy-duty replacement windows. The company provides custom size windows as well as stock sized windows for new construction. ab
Job Sight
Footprints in the desert sand
L-R: Walter Zuniga, Oscar Mendoza, Luis Rico and Baltimore Hernandez, A & T Concrete, prepare to pour a concrete slab at the Ascension Catholic Church Parish project on Water Street. ab
Mary Paul, San Antonio editor for Construction News, traveled to White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, where dunes of ne gypsum cover 275 square miles of the Tularosa Basin, bracketed by two distant but breathtaking mountain ranges. mp
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Weld on
For the technicians of tomorrow
atriot Erectors Inc. and Ironworkers Local #482 are both advocates for vocational training in area high schools. Jason Puckett, safety director at Patriot Erectors Inc., was recently invited to talk to welding classes at Dripping Springs High School about safety. This is where I met the agriculture teacher Lauri Kelley, Puckett said. Ms. Kelley and I started to talk and she showed me around the welding shop I observed that she really needed some new welding tables for her students. I had asked the owners of Patriot Erectors if they would be willing to donate the materials to fabricate new tables for the program and then I asked Ironworkers Local # 482 if I brought in the materials if it would be okay for the apprentices to build the tables. Thanks to everyone involved it was a success! Dripping Springs, TX-based Patriot
The apprentices work on the new welding tables
President and COO Allyn Archer opened HOLT CATs new ProTech Training Facility.
Erectors provides steel fabrication and erection services. ab
L-R: Apprentices Randy Wilson Kris Barnes and Derrick Bernaden
echnical training with $2 million pieces of equipment is crucial for both efciency and safety in this business, and now HOLT CAT has opened a new ProTech Technical Training Facility on East Southcross Boulevard in San Antonio. The LEED Silver facility will train technicians from across the state, including HOLT CATs Dallas, Austin, Corpus Christi, Laredo, and Victoria, and of course, San Antonio. Allyn Archer, president and COO, and Guy Clumpner, senior vice president, were onsite for the grand opening and open house Jan. 24. HOLT sees a serious, industry-wide need for skilled workers and this state-ofthe-art facility demonstrates our commitment to future growth, professional training and development for technicians, Archer said in a statement. Clumpner stated This is a very sophisticated business. The technical acumen required to be successful in this eld requires digital, computer and electronic
skills and knowledge, as well as the ability to accurately diagnose and make repairs. Our focus is to hire and develop professional technicians who can build successful careers in one of the most critical areas of our business. At the ofcial opening, Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon both spoke about the signicance of this training center to the youth entering the workforce. Without the strong voices of HOLT CAT and others in our business community, we cannot craft an education system that meets the needs of a future workforce, Van de Putte commented. HOLT CAT and the Caterpillar Dealer Excellence Fund recently contributed $54,000 in scholarships to nine Texas schools to support training of specialized technicians. Students and faculty attended the grand opening from two of those schools, St. Philips College and MacArthur High School, which are both located in San Antonio. mp

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Austin Construction News Feb 2013

Submitted to Construction News