Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News December 2018

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The Industry’s Newspaper www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 16 H Number 12 H DECEMBER 2018

I’m all striped up

No stalling, just Stallons

Doug Bolan, founder and chief operating office of Premier Striping.

L-R: Kirk Stallons, Jeana Stallons, Dale (dog), Taylor Stallons and Klint Stallons

H

ow many people make a career doing what they never thought they’d be doing? A lot, probably.

Doug Bolan, chief operating officer of Premier Striping, certainly is a case in point.

Bolan was working for the postal service when his cousin, a Taco Bell manager, mentioned to him that he couldn’t get anyone out to pressure wash his fast food restaurant’s parking lot. It seemed a lot of people would dispose of their chewing gum at the drive-through window and it was causing quite the mess.

Bolan thought, “There’s a market [for that.]” He bought a pressure washer and started doing other restaurants. He established Koncrete Klean in 1999 and did quite well doing this.

One place asked him if he did any parking lot striping. Although he didn’t offer that service at the time, Bolan said he did. Bolan hired some guys who really did do parking lot striping and he got into this line of work. Premier Striping began around 2001.

“I am a person of faith,” Bolan said. “If you ask me the secret of my success, it is that God is one of my partners. Without that, I am not smart enough to be where I am. I’m smart enough to rely on Him.” In other words, it was divine providence that took Bolan from the postal service to Premier Striping.

The early days had some bumps; Bolan learned about the industry via the “school of hard knocks.” He attended continued on Page 16

T

here is a little town in Tarrant county called White Settlement, which is kind of how this story began. Kirk Stallons remembers living in White Settlement and attending Brewer High School. In the mid‘80s, a friend of his found land to purchase in the Aledo school district. It was five acres and they made plans to split it. “That’s how it all started,” said Stallons. Today, Stallons resides with his wife and his two sons in Aledo.

Stallons is the owner of Stallons AC, an HVAC company for residential clients with a bit of commercial, including light refrigeration. The service area varies, but Stallons said, “We will go to east Parker County or to west Tarrant County. We will travel to Granbury and on the east side of Arlington.” New clients who come their

way are actually introducing them to new service areas. “Our customers are people who heard about us,” added Stallons.

Stallons launched his business in 1997 while working in maintenance for another company’s air conditioning and maintenance department. Stallons worked two jobs for seven years; the second was doing AC services for his company on the side. At that time, Stallons had his wife and two sons to think about, as it “got real overwhelming.” He was torn and left in late 2006 after 20 years with his former employer. But, Stallons didn’t stop working; instead he went full time with Stallons AC. “I asked my wife to quit her job and help me do the books,” he said. So with his family in full support of continued on Page 16

Sport therapy and research for all

S

ince 1964, MEDCO Construction has been building in Texas providing full-service construction in the health care industry. The company was founded as the construction division of Baylor Health Care System.

Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star is a comprehensive sports performance and health care center for all people. MEDCO broke ground on this 310,000sf, 11-story medical office building in July 2016. The project, which also includes a 405,000sf, sixstory parking garage with 1,068 spaces cost $94 million to construct.

Built on the 91-acre “The Star in Frisco” campus, the facility is home to several specialized centers for sports therapy and includes an ambulatory surgery center, a diagnostic imaging center, an urgent care center, outpatient rehabilitation, sports concussion center, pharmacy, sports performance center and a research center.

Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star.

Photo courtesy of James Steinkamp and Perkins+Will.

The first floor includes a street-level Sports Performance Center that features an indoor/outdoor full-width football/ multi-use field and a basketball court as well as training, research and rehabilitation areas. The upper floors house a family medicine clinic and a complete orthopedic floor. Located on the fourth floor is the Ambulatory Surgery Center, which focuses on orthopedic surgeries for sports injuries and features six operating rooms, eight pre-op beds and 10 recovery beds. This sports center also features leading-edge technology including Fusionetics, designed to help athletes understand, monitor and improve performance at all levels. In addition, Gatorade Sports Science Institute is located on the second floor.

Seven indoor custom air-handling units, three roof-mounted air handling units, steam humidification and 13 splint continued on Page 16

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

All decked out

Serving up style

Mike Owens, owner of Deck Masters (r,) with his nephew Parker (l) in England.

R

ichard Thacker started Deck Masters in 1973 because, as current owner Mike Owens said, he was an “industrious hippie” who found a market making hot tubs. Hot tubs naturally need a patio and deck upon which to place it.

Owens was an employee for Thacker and the pair hit it off well.

By 1983, Thacker’s business interests became so varied and time-consuming that he offered Owens the company. After initially saying he didn’t want to buy it, Thacker sweetened the deal. Apparently, Owens couldn’t refuse and the rest is history.

Interestingly, when Thacker owned Deck Masters, he was an early and steady customer of Lee Roy Jordan Lumber Company, a venture owned by the Dallas Cowboys middle linebacker. To this day, Owens still buys wood from Jordan.

By 1993, Owens realized there wasn’t an association of like-minded deck builders. Thus, he formed the Deck Industry Association, which has since turned into the Deck and Welding Association.

Then, Owens started a trade newsletter now known as Professional Deck Builder Magazine.

Today, Deck Masters does a robust business installing decks, patios, carports and the roofing that goes on them.

Because of the craftsmanship that Owens puts into his projects, he has been called to places as varied as Salt Lake City, Orlando and Nashville. In Nashville, he did the deck for country singer Barbara Mandrell. He’s also gone to Austin and Houston within Texas. Owens ships all the material with his crews when they go remote.

The national deck builder Trex has asked Owens to be a tester for their composite material used for decks. Compos-

ite wood is 50 percent plastic and 50 percent wood fibers. Composite wood can be stained to look like 100 percent wood, but is resistant to weather and even critters, and requires no maintenance.

Owens has been called as an expert witness in cases where there has been a balcony failure. The main reasons why a structure fails are rotting wood or improper attachment to a structure. Then, if the balcony/deck is used as a dance floor, the syncopated beating from dancing can also cause structural failure.

Deck Masters subs out its crews. “My main crew has been with me for 32 years,” Owens said. Another crew has been with him 14 years and his roofing team 12 years. Even though they are not regular employees of the company, they “pretty much don’t work for anyone else,” he said. When metal or stone is incorporated in the design, Owens has a regular stable of guys who do this work for him.

Deck Masters has four designers who design all of its projects; Owens inspects every plan. They are almost always unique. “After you do it for 35 years,” he said, “you kind of figure it out.”

The average project takes two days: one day to build and another day to paint and shingle. Deck Masters’ biggest seller is patio roof covers, while carports comprise around 15% of his business.

Owens has two sons involved with him at Deck Masters. However, they can forget about taking the company over anytime soon. “It’s such an enjoyable business,” he said. “I don’t foresee myself ever retiring. I’ll just keep doing it as long as I’m comfortable.”

Deck Masters services the Metroplex and beyond. -dsz

Brandon Cook, owner of Homeland Construction

W

hen Branden Cook, owner of Homeland Construction, builds a project, his life influences can’t help but express themselves. There’s the obvious imprint of Cook’s father, a mason by trade who built every house and barn the family had; it was from him that Cook learned how to frame, place rock, and build retaining walls and fireplaces. One sees the influence of Cook’s operations manager Jacob Densmore’s dad, who taught Cook how to weld as a teen. Then there are notes of musical influence in Cook’s work, from his younger days of playing guitar in venues and festivals.

“When we traveled to different venues when I was younger, I would notice, for instance, an incredible stage, and I would say it had a pretty big influence on my style,” Cook says. “A lot of my influences are from really neat structural perspectives. I’m a big fan of engineered metal and wood combinations and features. I like to do things that nobody else has done.”

Cook worked in the custom home realm and rustled up side projects before striking out on his own in 2011.

“Homeland Construction was born out of remodeling a bar and grill that I had a part of,” Cook explains. “I was in the bar and grill business and rebuilt the place. At the same time, I kept getting side projects for framing and welding. I started realizing that I had enough people who wanted me to do projects for them, so I launched my own company.”

Cook soon found his style and skills to be in even higher demand.

“It was incredibly busy,” he remembers. “I did a lot of outdoor projects, like patios, fences and siding, something I could do with small crews. It just started progressing. I started getting remodels and houses, and what really started opening the floodgates for us was the restaurant business. We started

getting a lot of commercial contracts, such as Dunkin Donuts and chicken restaurants. It went from that spectrum to commercial chains and developing a relationship with their corporate teams to custom build restaurants and things of that nature.”

As for the restaurant biz, Cook finds building eateries more satisfying than owning them.

“I sold my part of the restaurant back to my buddy and I haven’t personally been in the restaurant business since 2011; I just build a lot of them. Being in the restaurant business was harder in the aspect of, when you mix alcohol and live music, it can get kind of wild! The restaurant business is a little bit steadier, but you kind of trade a set schedule with a sporadic schedule, working all hours.

Construction is definitely a different animal in that in the restaurant business – you definitely don’t have to worry about the weather!”

Homeland Construction recently built Weatherford seafood restaurant Saltwater and Dallas music venue The Rustic, and is wrapping up an exciting Cowtown project.

“I’m doing a really big project that is the first of its kind in downtown Fort Worth: the Austin City Taco Company,” Cook says. “It’s the forefront of what is hopefully a multiple-location business.

The concept is really cool and something completely different as far as the finish schedule goes and the features we’ll have in it.”

Cook hopes his clients love their spaces as much as he does.

“I love putting smiles on people’s faces,” he says. “When people come to me with a dream and I can cast a vision and put it into physical form for them, it’s the most gratifying thing ever.”

General contractor Homeland Construction is in Weatherford. –mjm

Merry Christmas to All

from Construction News

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

S

teve Barron cut his construction chops while serving in the Air Force as a member of Civil Engineering’s mobile/rapid response Prime Beef team.

He taught construction while at Shepherd Air Force Base in Wichita Falls.

Barron has owned two different construction companies previously, from California to Iowa. He’s also spent time in the corporate side of construction. But when the sometimes-fickle construction industry took a nosedive in 2009, and Barron’s division was axed, Baron and his wife Debby moved to the prosperous Dallas area and bought a company that became Designer Door & Window (DDW) in 2010.

DDW’s showroom and office is in Plano, while the operations center is in Carrollton. When Barron took the company over (it had a different name then), he gave its employees time to adjust to the new ownership and business model of strictly retrofit windows and doors. Some guys left on their own; some were assisted in leaving; while others stayed on and have flourished.

Finally, new folks were hired. Barron’s current production manager used to be a laborer but has worked his way up.

Barron praises his “outstanding employees.” “You can always teach the skill,” he said, but “you hire for character.” Because of the quality of his guys, Barron says that the amount of emergencies and putting out of fires he does is kept to a minimum.

An odd downside of the booming construction industry is it’s harder to find good talent because the demand for it is so high. Still, Barron is proud of what DDW does. “We do not sub contract any of our work,” he said. “All our work is done with our own certified third party employees.”

DDW covers the Metroplex area but is cautious about dipping down into Dallas too far, for then Barron encounters older homes that have a greater chance of having lead-based paint.

When a new window is installed, all the layers of paint must be cut into. Lead testing must be done on all structures

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Page 3

Prime doors and windows

Steve Barron, owner of Designer Door & Window.

older than 1978, and, while DDW has technicians certified in lead paint removal, it is quite the process. Inevitably, that affects the price of the window or door.

A definite player in the window and

door installation business is the weather.

Barron watches the forecast carefully in order to schedule his men most effectively. They can work in the rain if they have a 10-foot minimum overhang.

When it comes to energy-efficient and “green” materials in his trade, Barron says there is “no question about it” when it comes to how that impacts him. A big challenge is for manufacturers to keep up with new requirements imposed on them to meet standards.

For the future, Barron has a five-year vision to be double the size. Also, he wants to have the showroom and operations center to be co-located. He wants this to happen in the eight-to10-year range. The reason for them being separated was the availability of leasing space at the time.

Designer Door & Window is strategically located at the crossroads to all major north Dallas highways, enabling Barron to rapidly deploy his team of door and window replacement experts to customers excited to upgrade their homes with great doors and windows. When it comes to the war against old and ugly windows, Barron will win it.

Designer Door & Window is in Plano.

-dsz

Page 4

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

How has the business changed?

The biggest change that I’ve had to make – and I’ve had to fight it every step of the way – is moving from having my hands on everything that happens in the company to stepping back and trusting people that I hired. That’s been the hardest thing, but I know in order to get this company where it needs to be, I have got to step back and be more of a manager of the projects’ technical aspects.

Donald Smith Managing Member Don Smith Concrete LLC Middlothian, Tx

D

on Smith came to Texas from Louisiana to work in the gas industry but stayed for the construction – concrete, to be exact. After he established Don Smith Concrete, he grew a successful company that he hopes will be in his family for years to come.

How were you introduced to construction?

I’ve always been around some kind of construction. My father dabbled in construction here and there. My start mainly came from working with the gas company starting in 1992 after high school.

From there, I worked for the gas company in Louisiana for about three years and decided to move to Texas and work for the gas company here for about another five years. Then I started doing concrete construction as a superintendent for different companies. I stepped down and started doing my own thing in 2014.

What motivated you to start your own company?

I was already sort of doing it, and it got to the point where I couldn’t manage work for somebody else and do my own projects. Once the company was able to supplement my income, it was an easy decision at that point.

Was there anything about owning this business that surprised you?

I don’t know if there were any surprises. Everything that happened was expected. I’ve always had the opportunity to be close to guys who owned their own companies and different things of that nature, so I’ve always been exposed to a lot of things and self-study.

Now, there are things being surprising and the way I’ve handled things. You can have adversity and things that come even though they’re not a surprise, but I feel the way you handle it makes a difference.

K

erry Elerson, owner of Elerson Siding and Windows, freely admits: “I’m from the old school. I don’t cheat people.”

Actually, he’s the co-owner. His son, Eric, has been 50-50 partners with him from the start. That was about 10 years ago. Elerson actually is a software engineer, but has been doing construction for years. He started while in college as a part-time job.

Elerson doesn’t do new construction, but strictly retro fit. Nor does he do glass replacement, but the whole frame.

He told one potential customer that his window frame was good; all he needed was new glass. It’s all about taking care of the customer.

Elerson doesn’t do the actual window or siding replacement now. He taught Eric the trade who does the hands-on work with the four crews. “I do all the selling and he oversees the jobs.”

Elerson said.

Elerson uses his high-tech mobile office to go to the customer. It’s equipped with technology that would make the Batmobile envious so the customer can

What kind of boss do you hope you are?

I have about ten full-time employees, but I subcontract a majority of it because we have several projects going on. I’m to the point where I’m not able to interact with the guys on a daily basis but we do meet at least once a week. I would hope my employees would view me as an understanding and empathetic boss, one who expects them to do their job and do it at a high standard.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?

I think the thing I enjoy most is interacting with the customers and seeing their vision come to fruition.

Seeing something on paper, then acting, receiving and manifesting and it’s a reality through diligence and hard work and consistency.

Describe a project of which you are particularly proud.

My focus is mainly on municipalities.

We did a sidewalk improvement project on Yellow Jacket Drive for the City of Cleburne. When I got there, there was a small two-lane road, and the high school students were walking on this road while traffic was coming both ways. This sidewalk project was being built to give the children shoulder to walk where they wouldn’t be in danger of the traffic. We put in a couple of pedestrian bridges. It gave me a lot of enjoyment to see this project come to pass. I drove out there the other day and saw all of those kids walking back and forth safely and it made me feel good. The city was happy, the engineer was happy and it was just a great project.

What would your dream project would be?

My dream project would involve being the prime contractor on a Texas Department of Transportation job. We’re aiming for it, but it takes a lot of references, doing jobs like we did in Cleburne and completing them successfully. It takes a lot of financial strength, not just saying you did the job financially but also showing a track record and a history of paying your vendors, employees and taxes. It’s not something that you just jump into, it’s something that you grow towards.

Who has supported you on this journey?

My wife, Cheryl Smith, is a partner in this business and handles all of the paperwork for the company. Without her, I know I wouldn’t be able to do this. When I went to her and told her that I though it was time for me to go out on my own, she said she was right behind me, and she’s been right behind me 100% since we started.

Have you had the opportunity to mentor anybody?

Yes, both of my sons followed me around and watch what I do. My goal is to teach them the business so that one day, they take it to another level. That’s my hope. When I get an opportunity to mentor them, I do, and my goal is hopefully they will step in and take over.

What do you enjoy in your free time?

I have eight grandchildren with one on the way, and I cherish any time I can spend with them. They are the joy of my life. When it’s cold, we’ll sit out at the back of the house, and since I live out in the country and we have a lot of wood left over from jobs, we’ll burn the wood and sit around and tell stories.

I also have a Border Collie Blue Heeler mix, Jack, and he and I just kind of run around the yard.

I also like to copy Picasso paintings.

I have several at the house. I did one for a guy about 10 years ago, and that’s kind of how I got started. He came to me with a photo of a Picasso painting and asked

New windows, old school

Eric and Kerry Elerson, owners of Elerson Siding and Windows

me if I could do it and I said yes, it’s pretty easy. After I did the painting for him, I had other people come up and ask me to do it. It’s kind of weird, but the painting itself has to inspire me and the painting he gave me inspired me. I can’t randomly paint if there is no inspiration for it. The last one I painted was a year ago, and I’ll have four or five years before painting another one.

What do you hope the future holds for the company?

This is absolutely not the peak. Who we are now is who I hope we are 10 years from now – multiplied.

I believe that in order for this company to be successful, the company has to be able to operate whether I’m there or not. I want the company to just be a mechanism that does the job, everybody knows what they’re doing and we get some work done. That’s where I’m at now, and I hope that that continues as it is multiplied.

I say that these are the standards and this is how we do it. You may not have done it at other companies, but this is how we do it. I believe that if we continue to duplicate that – I teach a guy, then he teaches a guy and we get those systems in place and continue to do that – then growth is inevitable.

I hope to get bigger but I don’t want to get bigger and not be able to manage.

Ten employees is a good size, but I have a philosophy that if you have the ability to earn more, then you have the ability to do it so that you can do more good. -mjm see the whole situation. Elerson does have a four-window minimum.

All new construction has to use energy-efficient windows. No matter the manufacturer, Elerson said all energy-efficient windows are made the same. Thus, Elerson sees homes that are several years old, usually.

Elerson Siding and Windows has been rated by Home Advisor as the Best in 2016, 2017 and will be in 2018. “In 10 years I’ve only had one bad review, and in that case the guy was a nut,” he said.

Elerson has three main pet peeves: fine print because he wonders what they are hiding; contractors that don’t clean up their mess; and people who don’t show up on time. If he says he’ll be there at 2 o’clock, he’ll be there or call ahead.

At 70 years young, Elerson said, “I don’t know if I’ll ever retire. I tried it for a year [previously] and it wasn’t for me.”

Eventually, however, Eric will take the company.

Until then, this old school guy with the whiz-bang mobile office will show up on time with no fine print.

Elerson Siding and Windows is in Arlington. -dsz

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Page 5

All aboard the supply train

Sign me up

S

F

DAICO Supply team members from the Carrollton location

or 33 years DAICO Supply Inc. has been providing building supplies and customer service to the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex. It all started with the founder, Darrell Arnold, in 1985, who is still actively involved within the company today. Darrell opened up their first warehouse in Jan. 1986 in Carrollton, TX. The following month of that same year, Darrell’s son, Larry Arnold, was about three years out of college and made a career move to start working with his father.

Today the DAICO Supply President is Larry Arnold. He said, “We started in a 10,000-sf warehouse and now we are in a 60,000-sf warehouse in Carrollton.” That is quite an accomplishment for such a company. DAICO Supply has expanded over the years with locations and employee size. Their second location is in Fort Worth and they have an overall employee count of a little over 50. “We have a lot of long-term employees here,” added Arnold.

With a steady growing market at hand, Arnold foresees the company staying busy. He says their customers have

work booked out until 2020. “Our largest customer base is the commercial drywall subcontractor; followed up with the residential drywall subcontractor.”

Commercial openings are something the company has expanded into since the “down turn back in 200809.” With the success of the commercial line of work, Arnold mentions they will be looking at some growth. “It is highly competitive right now and we are watching what our new large competitors are doing. Our tempo is based upon how we plan on going forward. Our plans are to eventually do some expansion.”

DAICO Supply will be ending their year on a high note and with a little friendly competition at their end of the year company party, which includes the employee’s family members. “We always host an end of the year party at Main Event. It involves some competitive bowling and laser tag,” said Arnold.

DAICO Supply Inc. is a supplier for commercial and residential contractors in Carrollton and Fort Worth, TX. –lv

If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why?

I have a great wife and two of the greatest kids and I like what I do so I will stick to the present.

Doug Bolan Premier Striping I would travel to old West times. I would want to watch how buildings went up before common, accessible tools were made. I would want to see everything from the thought process to the structural engineering. I would like to have been there to see how it all went together and how much head scratching it took. How did they build a three-story hotel in the 1800s? I would be interested to be on a job that took four years to complete because of lack of tools that we take for granted now. It’s crazy to me that these beautiful buildings, like the buildings that I’m in now, were built in the late 1800s. It’s still standing, it’s still strong and it’s neat to me.

Branden Cook Homeland Construction I would probably go back to around 60 AD and hang out with the Apostle Paul for a day.

Mike Owens Deck Masters

I would have loved to have seen where Moses parted the waters in the Red Sea, when they were exiling from Egypt. That would have been just tremendous.

David Tobias Suntec Signs & Awnings I wish I could backtrack and help others when I had the chance and didn’t take it.

Joe Daughterty DFW Safety Consulting I love Willie Nelson’s song: “I’d trade all my tomorrows for one yesterday.” I would love to go back to the ‘40s or ‘50s.

I didn’t have anything but I was happy.

Bill Blythe Bill Blythe Asphalt Service My first stop would be Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963. I’d have a buddy put his camcorder on the Book Store Depository Building, while I trained mine on the grassy knoll. I’d solve who killed (or who didn’t kill) JFK once for all. Then I’d take my camcorder and tape the Sermon On the Mount. The Gettysburg Address would be pretty cool to film as well. Then there’s Babe Ruth’s “called shot” in the ’32 World Series - did he or didn’t he?

Dan Zulli Construction News

untec Signs and Awnings started in 1976. By 1986, it wasn’t doing too well. That’s when Bob Baron bought it. David Tobias, Suntec’s vice president, came on board in 2000. He also married Baron’s daughter.

Tobias is from South Africa, where, he said, the goal of folks there is to go to college and then leave. After studying accounting, Tobias left South Africa and backpacked across Europe and the United States. Liking the U.S., he stopped in Houston; then eventually moved to Dallas to pursue a job opportunity.

One of Tobias’ financial clients had an LED sign company. This led him to Suntec when Baron asked him to join the firm.

From its 25,000sf facility, Suntec manufacturers signs and awnings for just about everyone within a 50-mile radius of its shop. Suntec did go nationwide when it built the awnings for Chilis several years back, but doesn’t do that anymore. Due to the issue of getting permits, etc., Tobias said it’s not feasible to do remote projects.

Suntec’s clients are a veritable Who’sWho of name brand companies, as well as local folk. They do every kind of sign, from channel letter to pylon to monument to routed to blade.

The same is true of awnings: fabric, metal, shade/patio and backlit. Their big Barnes & Noble job is a combination of sign and awning.

When it comes to neon signs, Tobias said that venerable technology is on its way out. Suntec does 98 percent LED and only 2 percent neon.

One job Tobias is especially proud of is the famed Sixth Floor Museum at the Bookstore Depository Building metal and fabric awnings. Not only does it look very sharp, it has held up very well from when it was installed.

David Tobias, vice president of Suntec Signs and Awnings

In terms of new construction versus retrofit, Tobias says that inside Dallas, people are tearing down and remodeling, while outside Dallas, it’s new construction.

“It’s mind boggling what’s going on,” he said, of the new construction.

Suntec rarely turns down jobs, but there was one massive 40 x 60 ft request that was a bit much. Suntec did do theDallas Mavericks’ new training facility signage.

Tobias’ day-to-day ops include sales and interfacing with customers. As of this writing, there are no plans for expansion in terms of facilities or locations. The Metroplex keeps Suntec plenty busy.

Even though he’s from South Africa, Tobias has transitioned nicely to the Dallas area, which is now home for him and his family. This includes rooting for a certain America’s football team with a star on the side of their helmets. If Jerry needs a new sign, he should call Suntec.

Suntec Signs and Awnings serves the Metroplex as a full service commercial sign and awning company, in Dallas. -dsz

Page 6

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

HOLT turns 85

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an Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said it best when describing the legacy of HOLT CAT by saying it “started back when horsepower was measured by actual horses.” Truer words could not have been spoken about the five-generation legacy Benjamin Holt started with the design and manufacture of the first continuous tracks for use in tractors, paving the way for heavy agricultural and construction machinery for years to come. Holt’s invention forever changed the world as the use of horse drawn power applications became a thing of the past.

On Oct. 26, HOLT CAT CEO Peter J. Holt and President and Chief Administrative Officer Corinna Holt Richter welcomed several distinguished guests, friends and media at the beginning of the 85th anniversary celebration. The event took place at the new state-of-theart HOLT CAT headquarters with opening remarks by Richter.

“We’re celebrating a number of milestones today. The biggest one is our organization’s 85 years in business. This weekend we will celebrate with a few thousand of our employees and their families to mark our history and impact in industrial innovation. We’re also celebrating our legacy as the largest Caterpillar

L-R: Phil Kelliher, Corinna Holt Richter and Peter J. Holt dealer in the United States. “We are honored to represent an iconic brand like Caterpillar. It’s really our people who make HOLT who it is and why our customers choose us. We will have an antique tractor show on our campus showcasing many of the products that our ancestor Benjamin Holt developed that forever changed industry worldwide and of course, we are celebrating are newly expanded corporate headquarters building which houses 250 of our 800 San Antonio

employees.

“It’s 80,000sf and has state-of-the-art conference and training rooms, collaborative workspaces, employee gym, outdoor walking trail and cafeteria. We are very proud of it.

“My brother, Peter and I, feel a great responsibility to ensure that our 2,700 employees have the resources they need to support our thousands of customers across the state. As the next chapter of history for Holt unfolds, we are proud of

where we have been and excited to share the future with you,” says Richter.

The celebration continued as Holt greeted Mayor Ron Nirenberg; District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran; South Central Texas Regional Director for Senator Ted Cruz, Javier Salinas; Southside Chamber President Al Arreola, Jr. and Caterpillar Vice President Americas & European Distribution Services Phil Kelliher as they all presented the Holt family with commemorative gifts in honor of HOLT CAT’s 85th anniversary.

The party didn’t stop there. On day two of the 85th anniversary celebration, more than 2,000 HOLT CAT employees and their families from across the state of Texas gathered at the HOLT CAT headquarters for a true day of celebration. The employees and their families were treated to some of the best foods, activities and entertainment. In addition, they were able to enjoy the antique tractor show being held on the HOLT grounds which included a parade and live machine demonstrations.

The all day event provided plenty of activities for all including games for kids of all ages. There was rock climbing walls, moon bounces, a giant hamster ball race track, bungee joust, face painting, petting zoo, pony and horse rides and much more. No child could complain they had nothing to do. Even the adults had plenty to keep them occupied.

The progression of where HOLT is now and for their future, both in their new facility and the technology that is in all of their new equipment is “just a wonderful balance between the foundational legacy of where we are coming from and the innovative future that we going towards,” HOLT CAT CEO Peter J. Holt stated during the company’s 85th anniversary celebration.

HOLT CAT, the largest dealer of Caterpillar equipment headquartered in San Antonio, TX. –cmw

Petting zoo

Bungee joust

Rock climbing wall

Masonry done right

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L-R: James Jennings, owner of Brick Doctor, with project manager Robby Rux amidst their 800 varieties of bricks.

ames Jennings’s company, Brick Doctor, doesn’t do any new masonry construction. Rather, it repairs old and failing work, as well as remedial work - for that which was done wrong in the first place.

“We see it all,” Jennings said. Some cracks or failures can take years to be noticed.

Jennings and his late brother Steve owned and operated anther masonry

company prior to starting Brick Doctor together in 1986. But they were getting so many calls for masonry repair work, that they saw the need to specialize in it.

Steve was the mason, while James was the business expert. “I credit a lot of our success to Steve,” Jennings said.

Many repairs are done because of design flaws and/or improper installation. “If masonry is done right,” Jennings continued next page (7)

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Page 7

Consider a workers’ compensation deductible

Part III: Plan ahead for accounting for new long-term contracts

Wes Pitts, Sr. V.P. and Southwest Regional Construction Practice Leader for USI Southwest USI Southwest Austin, TX

Scott Allen, CPA, Tax Partner Cornwell Jackson Plano, TX

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our company established the completed contract method of accounting for long-term contracts that are exempt from Code Section 460 because its gross receipts fell under the $10 million threshold.

As the company grew, it continued • The amount of taxable income to use this accounting method. It had deferred under the various two very good years in 2015 and 2016. In accounting methods for long-term 2017 average annual gross receipts for contracts; 2014-2016 exceeded $10 million for the • The effect of AMT on the owners’ first time. For contracts that were open in returns given the new AMT exemp- 2016, the company will continue to re- tions and elevated phase-outs; port income from those contracts under • The expected growth rate for the the completed contract method. For con- company and the length of time tracts that were started in 2017, the com- before it is expected to reach the pany will be required to report under the $25 million threshold. percentage of completion method in accordance with Code Section 460 for ev- With thoughtful consideration and ery year until the contracts are complete. planning, the proper accounting method However, for contracts started in for long-term contracts can result in the 2018, because the gross receipts thresh- deferral of a significant amount of inold was adjusted to $25 million, those come tax, which will help your company contracts are exempt from complying manage working capital more effectively. with Code Section 460. The company will To select the most advantageous acreport those contracts under the com- counting method or to determine if your pleted contract method since it is the company should change its accounting company’s established accounting meth- method in 2018, controllers and CFOs od for exempt contracts. may need the guidance of a CPA knowl Then again, if it was decided that it edgeable in accounting for long-term made sense to report 2018 contracts un- contract rules. It helps to get a second der a different accounting method other opinion to support the right accounting than completed contract, the company method for your contracts that is both will need to file for a change in account- tax law compliant and offers the best poing method with the IRS. The change is tential for tax planning or deferral. not classified as an automatic change; For the complete article, Download Form 3115 will need to be filed with the the Whitepaper: 2017 Tax Law Impacts IRS prior to year-end. A user fee (current- Accounting for Long-Term Contracts on ly $9,500) will also need to be paid in or- our website. der for the Form 3115 to be processed.

Scott Allen, CPA, joined Cornwell Jackson as

The bottom line is that companies a Tax Partner in 2016, bringing his expertise with three-year trailing average gross in the Construction and Oil and Gas indusreceipts under the $25 million thresh- tries and 25 years of experience in the acold in 2018 should do an analysis to counting field. As the Partner in Charge of determine if a change in accounting the Tax practice at Cornwell Jackson, Scott method makes sense. The analysis provides proactive tax planning and tax should include the following factors: compliance to all Cornwell Jackson tax cli• Whether an overall method of ents. Contact him at Scott.Allen@cornwell accounting of cash or accrual is the jackson.com or 972-202-8032.

most advantageous; continued from Page 6 — Brick Doctor said, “it needs to last decades, not just a year or three years.”

In the masonry repair business, the trick is to make the new brickwork match the existing look, not an easy feat considering the nature of different mortars or all the variables that go into styles of brick.

“We want to make it look like nothing happened,” Jennings said.

Arches can be especially tricky.

Sometimes the different sides of the arch have their own individual foundation, which caused the problem in the first place.

Jennings isn’t a mason; he’s a businessman. But he raves about the “incredible” quality of masons Brick Doctor has.

“I fell like we have the best masons in Texas,” he said with pride. “I like to call them artisans. They’re not only very knowledgeable about the mechanics of masonry, but they’re artists.”

A driving philosophy for Jennings and Brick Doctor can be found in Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”

Jennings explains that in reality, many customers don’t really know what the contractor is doing. Hence, the possibly exists of being ripped off by shoddy work.

Therefore, he wants his team to work knowing that the Divine is watching

them. “If you’re right with God when you lay your head on your pillow at night because you know you did a great job - it’s a great way to live.”

“There’s a difference between a ‘bricker’ and a professional mason,” Jennings said.

Brick Doctor gets many referrals from other contractors who may be working on one thing, but notice the need to have the brickwork repaired. A roofer may notice a chimney that’s falling apart, for instance.

“I don’t have any plans to retire yet,” Jennings said, but does know that when he finally does, he wants to leave Brick Doctor to someone that will carry on its legacy of quality work done right. For now, that looks like someone from within the ranks as opposed to without. “If you sell out, you never really know what will happen next,” he said.

Jennings’ son Scott, an Abilene Christian University graduate, is one of Brick Doctor’s project managers.

With his crack team of masonry artists, and with You-know-who looking down on their work, Jennings stands ready to make things right in there is a need to fix one’s brick problems, and not just for the immediate future, either. “I want something to last 300 years.”

Brick Doctor serves the Metroplex with brick repairs, based in Haltom City. -dsz

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ou’ve seen your Workers’ Compensation premiums rising just on the basis growth of your company (payrolls), yet your controls and claims management processes have only improved and your resulting experience has been good.

I want to point out that there are some carriers out there, yes including the market leader in Texas, that are offering some pretty darn attractive deductible credits these days. First off keep in mind this is not a “one size fits all” approach.

Generally, to consider a deductible you need to have a somewhat sizeable WC premium, excellent controls and claims management, at least 5 years of experience to back that up, and the ability to post some security collateral. We generally like to look at a minimum $25,000. per person/claim deductible with No Aggregate (i.e. no agg. cap on the no. of deductibles you could have to pay for) because of the deeper credit this brings, which can be close to -25%. If interested, the first thing that needs to happen is your agent needs to conduct an analysis of what it would have looked like at least over the last 5-years of your WC experience – this is really nothing more than a spreadsheet that captures the term, losses under and over, the estimated premium savings, and the differential. If that differential is largely in the black over the term, then it may make sense for you. If the trigger is pulled, you’ll want to place even more emphasis on safety, policies, controls and probably most importantly having a dedicated person on claims management, which we addressed back in the Oct. issue. The collateral could be

$50,000., $75,000., $100,000., and generally in a combination of about 70% Irrevocable Letter of Credit (ILOC) and balance in cash, with the amount depending on your payment history, credit history, loss pick and credit on the pick. This collateral is not a working collateral – claims are not paid from it, but rather you would reimburse the Company for claims on a monthly invoiced basis. You’d also want to know going in that because it often takes several years for some claims to be paid and closed, you will continue to be responsible for reimbursing the Company for claims the Company has paid until all claims within your deductible are paid and then closed. Accordingly, the Company will maintain the Escrow Account established by the Deductible Escrow and Security Agreement after the expiration of the policy.

As you grow and try to manage your costs, it is always a good idea to look at all alternative funding arrangements for your insurance program, have your agent help you to learn and understand them, and then you can jump onboard if it makes sense for your company.

Wes Pitts is a Sr. Vice President and Southwest Regional Construction Practice Leader for USI Southwest - Austin, TX. 512-6514107, or Wesley.pitts@usi.com

Be safe, not sorry

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oe Daugherty comes from a construction family and background.

He’s probably seen his fair share of accidents, too.

Call it a divine appointment if you will, but Daugherty was working at a construction company for the Atlas Penzoil Refinery in Shreveport, LA, as a young man out of high school, when he “voluntold” to be a safety rep. Having one on site was a requirement, and he was now it. “I got elected to that position,” he said.

Daugherty didn’t know it at the time, but this would become his full-time calling and career. He now runs DFW Safety Consulting. His job is to make sure you stay on yours.

Daugherty learned his trade by going to governmental and OSHA training.

He now gets hired to examine the workplace for its safety culture or lack thereof.

When this position in Louisiana came up in 1990, “back in that day, there wasn’t a whole lot of active people with schooling [doing this job.]” Now, one can major in it in college.

The part-time prison chaplain starts by going into an organization at the lowest level to see what they know and what they don’t know about safety. He then reports back to leadership with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

“God has given me the ability to tell people what they don’t want to hear, and have a positive outcome out of it,” Daugherty said. “We have to bridge the gap between what you intend your work force to do to work safely, and what’s going on with it now.”

A technique Daugherty uses is to figure out how much a safety incident will

Joe Daugherty, president and owner of DFW Safety Consulting

cost, as opposed to the cost of a good safety practice. An accident will cost way much more.

Daugherty’s business is booming, mostly by word-of-mouth. “Since I’ve started in business for myself, it’s going better than ever,” he said “I’ve gone from a state level to a nationwide level in a matter of three months.”

As a wise man once said: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

DFW Safety Consulting is based in Fort Worth. -dsz

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

What to do if you suddenly become involved in a multi-party construction defect lawsuit?

Andres Gonzalez, Principal Cokinos | Young San Antonio, TX

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imes are changing. Around Texas, there is an onset of multi-party construction defect lawsuits. In the Valley and recently in Bexar County, various school districts have filed lawsuits. In the current climate of public owners or owners of multi-family housing units, construction defect lawsuits are becoming prevalent. When public owners are involved, the two or four year statutes of limitation do not apply. Instead, lawsuits may be brought ten to twelve years after substantial completion of a project.

If your company becomes involved in this type of lawsuit, you need to understand how to manage the unexpected legal costs of defending the lawsuit. Your commercial general liability policy should cover your legal costs.

Usually, a commercial general liability insurer owes its insured a duty to defend the lawsuit and a duty to indemnify for a judgment when the insured becomes legally liable to pay (assuming it is a loss covered by the policy). The duty to defend is a very important and valuable benefit. The cost of defending the lawsuit may exceed any amounts the insurer pays to ultimately settle the lawsuit or indemnify the insured against the loss.

This is a quick how-to guide for when you realize that your

company is a party in the construction defect lawsuit or arbitration: You want to put your insurance company on notice immediately. If you are aware of a project where your company will likely get sued, notify your insurance company or agent. Even if you do not yet have a copy of the citation or original petition, you may want to inform the insurance company of the pending lawsuit. By doing so, you will get some time to make sure that you are covered for the alleged property damage and to get an attorney lined up.

Once you have been served with a copy of the citation and original petition, send the copy to your insurance agent or adjuster. The insurance adjuster should hire competent legal counsel

Cranes and derricks in construction: Operator qualification Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX

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SHA changed the regulation governing crane operator certification in construction. First, this final rule removes the requirement that crane operator certifications include the crane’s rated lifting capacity. The two testing organizations that have certified the majority of operators have issued certifications by “type” but not “capacity.” These certifications, therefore, would not have been valid without a change to the rule. OSHA has concluded that the capacity requirement for certification is not necessary to protect workers.

OSHA is also making permanent the employer duty to ensure that operators are competent to operate the equipment safely. While certification ensures an objective baseline of general knowledge of crane operation, it does not ensure that operators know how to operate a particular crane for a specific task. For this reason, OSHA is revising the crane standard to preserve a requirement that employers assess the ability of their operators to

to represent you and pay the costs of defense. Those costs include attorney’s fees and the costs of hiring expert witnesses, copying charges, arbitration and mediation expenses, court reporters, and miscellaneous lawsuit-related charges. Most commercial general liability policies give the insurance company the right to select your defense counsel. If there is a particular law firm you would rather use, you should ask your adjuster if the insurance company will approve your selected defense counsel.

Lately, several Plaintiff’s lawyers have been filing very vague petitions. Your company will be named in the lawsuit but there is very little detail about why you were sued. In fact, you may feel it is a frivolous filing simply because it is unclear. It does not matter what causes of action are in the pleading. The pleading may identify negligence, breach of contract, or something entirely different.

What does matter are the damages alleged to have occurred as a result of the acts or omissions of the insured or its subcontractors. That pleading, however, is very important to trigger your insurance company’s duty to defend you under the insurance policy. In Texas, an insurers’ duty to defend the insured is triggered based on the “eight corners rule.” This refers to the four corners of the insurance policy and the four corners of the lawsuit. A court will examine the facts in the pleadings, the language in the insurance policy, and determine if the facts could potentially be covered by the insurance policy. The factual allegations are considered without regard to their truth or falsity, and all doubts regarding the duty to defend are resolved in the insured’s favor. If a petition potentially

includes a covered claim, the insurer owes the insured the duty to defend and must defend the entire lawsuit.

If you are a general contractor, you will want to make sure you have copies of the subcontract agreements and the certificates of insurance from the various subcontractors. You will want to make additional insured tenders to the subcontractors that have work implicated in the lawsuit. You will also want to tender the lawsuit to the subcontractor’s insurance agent and the insurance companies listed on the certificates of insurance. Often times, a subcontractor may still owe the general contractor a defense and indemnity based on the written subcontract agreement. This may apply even if the subcontractor’s work is not directly implicated in the pleadings. The subcontract agreement may require the subcontractor to defend and indemnify the general contractor for any lawsuit arising from the project.

At times, you may receive a reservation of rights letter from an insurer. This generally means that the insurer will provide you with a defense while reserving its right to deny coverage for the reasons set out in the letter, which often includes the application of various exclusions in the policy. For example, if your policy has coverage for property damage, only certain forms of property damage may be covered, depending on the provisions in your policy. You would need to discuss the reservation of rights letter and its implications with your attorney.

operators it employs. Finally, crane operators can meet OSHA’s certification requirements by obtaining a state or local crane operator license that meets OSHA’s requirements in those jurisdictions that issue crane operator’s licenses.

In addition to ensuring that an operator is properly certified, an employer must also evaluate the operator to ensure that the operator has the skills, knowledge, and ability to recognize and avert risk to operate the equipment safely. This evaluation must be done by a person who has the knowledge, training, and experience necessary to assess operators. Once an operator has passed an evaluation on one piece of equipment, the employer may allow that operator to operate different equipment without fur-

ther evaluation if the employer can demonstrate that operating that equipment would not require substantially different skills, knowledge or ability to recognize and avert risk. For example, an employer may evaluate an operator and determine that he or she has demonstrated the ability to safely operate a large crane in a relatively complex configuration. If the employer determines that the operator has the skills, knowledge, and ability to identify and avert risk necessary to safely operate a smaller crane of the same type and operating system, in a simpler configuration with a shorter boom, then the operator would not need to be re-evaluated (assuming that the tasks are similar). natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232

210-293-8752 agonzalez@cokinoslaw.com

Humphrey broken clays

run the cranes they will be using for the tasks to which they are assigned. This employer duty would have ceased to exist without this new rulemaking.

An operator can meet OSHA’s certification requirements by obtaining certification from an accredited, third-party crane certification organization. An employer can also comply with OSHA’s standard by developing an employer-audited program and use this program to certify

In memoriam

Mr. Bryce Weigand, FAIA, passed away peacefully Oct. 23. He obtained his architecture degree from Oklahoma State University and moved to Atlanta for five years to work for Thompson, Ventulett & Stainback. He was recruited to Dallas by Jack Corgan in 1976 and stayed at Corgan for 17 years. After that, he joined Good Fulton & Farrell for 19 more years before he retired. After retiring from GFF, Bryce decided to open his own firm in 2013, Weigand Art & Architecture.

A memorial service was held on Nov. 3 at First Presbyterian Church of Dallas. -cmw

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1st Place White course team and winner of the Steve Thompson Traveling Trophy: The Thompson Group-2, score 500

he weather was perfect Sept. 28 for Humphrey & Associates’ 14th Annual Broken Clay shoot. Over 700 people arrived at the Defender Clay Sports Ranch in Fort Worth. An impressive 545 registered shooters shot 100 rounds each on four separate courses. Guests ate breakfast, participated and visited games and took part in raffle options prior to the shoot.

When the shooting rounds were completed, shooters returned to the clubhouse, picked up their shooter bags and enjoyed lunch while partaking in the silent auction.

The day ended with the announcement of the winners for each course, the flurry and the Steve Thompson Traveling Trophy. The 14th Annual Broken Clay gathered $103,000 for 2018. This brought the total of donations from the Broken Clay to over $1 mil-

lion dollars benefiting Young Life Ministries across North Texas since 2005. -cmw Orange course winners: 1st Place: Autobahn Team 1, score 491 2nd Place: Beck Group-Dicus, score 436 3rd Place: Beck Group-Klein, score 383 Blue course winners: 1st Place: H&A Fletcher, score 463 2nd Place: Ron Wilkinson, score 445 3rd Place: Beck FTW Arena 1, score 377 Green course winners: 1st Place: Johnston Products-1, score 417 2nd Place:Bonded Lightning-1, score 417 3rd Place: Buyers Barricades, score 412 White course winners: 2nd Place: Lifetime Beneftis-1, score 492 3rd Place: U.S. Shoring, score 489 Top Male Shot: Jason Foshea, score 100 Top Female Shot: Kim Tackett, score 86

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

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hether you are searching for a trophy speckled trout, redfish or South Texas whitetail buck, we have you covered. From December through February, I will be concentrating on these types of trips and catering to folk’s specific needs. By the time this article is in your hands, deer season will be in full rut and fishing should be getting pretty hot also. Here is a brief explanation of what I’m going to be doing for the next few months. Also, remember that I have gift certificates for that special someone for the holidays.

South Texas trophies await you

by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine, Shoalwater Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Diawa Reels, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines PowerPole, AFW and AFTCO Clothing

Fishing Trips: I will be splitting my time between Baffin Bay and Port Mainsfield this winter.

Baffin trips will be based out of Corpus Christi and depart from Marker 37 marina. These trips will be wade fishing with artificial lures targeting trophy speckled trout and reds. Port Mansfield trip will include accommodations in a luxurious five-bedroom house that will sleep up to 10 fishermen. The Laguna house has all comforts of home with a large outdoor deck and cooking area to entertain clients and guests. A two-day minimum is required for the Lower Laguna Madre trips. These trips are also wade fishing Trevor Boatright harvested this awesome slick 8-point buck on the Chaparrosa Ranch near La Pryor, TX. Trevor’s buck scored 140” and was guided by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

throwing lures. If you are interested in either of the winter wade fishing packages don’t hesitate to give me a call to discuss rates and packages.

Hunting Trips:

Whitetail hunts kicked off last month and are in full swing here in South Texas.

I have several ranches to choose from according to the caliber of deer your searching for. Most of my time is spent at the Chaparrosa ranch outside of La Pryor, Tx. This ranch is just shy of 100,000 acres and is considered one of the most premier ranches in the state. We offer low fence, fair chase hunts for deer up to 160” for groups from one to six persons. We also have hog, javelina and quail hunts if interested.

If you’re looking for a trophy larger than 160, I have several ranches to choose from in Carrizo Springs and Charlotte Tx. These are smaller high fence ranches that

Angler Steve Munoz of Dallas recently caught this 35” redfish in the upper Laguna Madre.

Steve was free lining live piggy perch when this brute hit. Photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.

offer whitetail deer hunts for deer that range from 160 to over 200”. These hunts are specific trophy hunts that are priced accordingly with the size of deer taken.

I still have several open dates for the 2018 fishing season weather permitting, and my deer hunts are booking up fast.

December offers some of the best South Texas deer hunting action during the rut which usually kicks off around the 10th of the month. Don’t hesitate in calling. I have several good hunting dates open.

Also, my 2019 fishing calendar is now open. Don’t hesitate in booking your fishing trips because my dates usually go pretty quick, especially during the more popular months.

To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail him at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail. com. Good luck and Good Fishing.

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Ken Milam’s Fishing Line Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country, You can hear Ken on the radio as follows: The Great Outdoors: 5-8 am Saturday on 1300, The Zone, Austin and The Great Outdoors: 5-7 am Saturday on 1200 WOAI San Antonio The Sunday Sportsman: 6-8 am Sunday on 1300, The Zone, Austin All on iHeart Radio

Wow, what difference a few weeks can make!

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ince I wrote my last article, we have gone from hoping we could just catch some water in the lakes to help us recover from lack of rain in the summer to full on flash flood mode and now the clean-up and recovery work.

Here on Lake Buchanan we see a lot of flood water pass through, but we don’t get the flood damage that our lower Highland Lakes can get. Our continuing thoughts and prayers go out to our friends downstream.

After several weeks the lake conditions here are finally settling back to normal. We do have new structure that came in with the flood and old structure that has been relocated, but the water quality is finally getting back to normal.

Now the fish can return to their regular feeding patterns for this time of year. The best part is that we can look forward to good lake levels to fish in the New Year and next spring instead of wondering if we would still have places to fish!

If you have some fishing time coming up during the Holidays, come on!

As we look forward to next year, I want to share some good news with you. One thing that I have always been concerned with is our need to get our young people outside again. With all the indoor electronic distractions kids have these days, and the lack of available opportunities for them to go places and do things, we have a conservation crisis in the making.

If you are like me, you probably had parents or grandparents that would load you up and take you hunting, or fishing, or camping. We were still pretty close to the days when people made their living off the land and still had places to go and

enjoy the outdoors. As the old home places have been sold off to become new subdivisions and such, we find ourselves less able to find our way outside and bring the kids. Did you know that the average age of a hunting license holder in the United States is now 62 years old? You have to ask yourself what will happen to the animals and habitats and the world outside over the next couple of decades when we lose those people.

If no one seems to notice or care about the world outside our door, who will take care of nurturing and protecting it?

I am happy to let you know that there is an organization that is addressing that very problem! The Outdoor Tomorrow Foundation is already at work making the outdoors accessible to our young people again. You can go check them out online at https://www.gootf.com/ “THE MISSION OF THE OUTDOORS TOMORROW FOUNDATION IS TO TEACH OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND TO PROMOTE AND FUND CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE WORLDWIDE.”

The Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation has already established the Outdoor Adventures curriculum in over 400 schools by partnering with State agencies and conservation organizations to provide curriculum and equipment grants, and provide avenues for teacher training and workshops without charge.

37,000 students are currently enrolled as young people are encouraged to discover and safely enjoy the outdoors.

I urge you to go check it out!

Ken Milam Guide Service (325) 379-2051 www.striperfever.com

Ranch life

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n November on a cold day in Aguilares, TX, Construction News editor Lexie Velasquez escaped the city and spent a day at the ranch. She shot a javelin with one shot and did some scouting for arrowheads. –lv

Lexie holding the javelin’s ear.

Arrowheads found in Aguilares.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

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OLT CAT was host of this year’s annual Antique Caterpillar Machine Owners Club (ACMOC) National Show, showcasing HOLT, Caterpillar and other brands of century-old construction and farming machines owned by collectors from across the country.

The free public event was held at the HOLT CAT headquarters in San Antonio Oct. 26 -28 with antique machine displays, a machine operating area, daily machine parade, food and entertainment.

Approximately 100 antique tractors dating back to the early 1900s were on display. Among the highlights were a 1910-era wooden Holt manufacturing combine, CAT 20 Experimental Tractor from the 1927 World’s Fair and the Holt 120 tractor which is currently on display at the Heidrick Ag History Museum in Sacramento, CA.

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Antique tractor show

The live machine operating demonstrations and parade allowed spectators to appreciate the functionality of the machines that revolutionized the world. Also on hand were plenty of restoration stories to tell along with tales of rare finds and where they were found.

Along with the old, the newest CAT equipment was also on display. Getting a first hand look at how Caterpillar has evolved and the future it is moving towards was sure to leave everyone in total “ahh!”

Collectors of these antique tractors have a great passion for these machines. The ACMOC was founded in 1991 by a small group of enthusiasts who all shared a passion for the legacy of antique Caterpillar machinery.

Can you imagine operating this beast all day in a field?

Youngsters get a first hand look at this tractor

Their mission is to assist and educate not just their members but also the general public on the historic Caterpillar machinery and how it shaped the world. They have chapters across the continental United States, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. -cmw

The owner of this antique tractor gets it ready to operate.

1910-era wooden Holt Manufacturing combine

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

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THIS TH MON Jan: Construction Forecast Mar: Construction Education May: Concrete Industry July: Electrical Industry Feb: Construction Safety Apr: Women in Construction Jun: HVAC & Plumbing Aug: Service Providers

Schaumburg, IL

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ssociated Equipment Distributor members are reporting a strong year across North America on both equipment sales and equipment rentals, but as with any industry, challenges remain. The greatest strategic challenge facing the construction equipment industry is the scarcity of skilled technical workers. The industry’s technician shortage is costing AED members more than $2.4 billion per year in lost revenue and economic activity. Preparing workers for well-paying careers will ensure that U.S. companies can seize new business opportunities, making the United States more competitive in the global economy.

Earlier this year, AED commended the signatories were the Association of President for his leadership in addressing Equipment Manufacturers, the Associatthe nation’s skills gap. Businesses, schools ed General Contractors of America, the and government officials must collective- American Road & Transportation Builders ly commit to tackling the technical work- Association, the National Stone, Sand & force shortage, and the president’s execu- Gravel Association, the Energy Equiptive order was a positive step toward giv- ment & Infrastructure Alliance, the Amering students and workers the necessary ican Concrete Pipe Association, the National Utility Contractors Association and skills to thrive in today’s economy.

Another challenge is in the area of the National Asphalt Pavement Associatariffs. AED was joined by eight other ma- tion. In the letter, AED and its construcjor construction industry organizations tion industry partners cautioned policyon separate letters to Senate leadership makers that the tariffs will only exacerand the Trump administration opposing bate delays in manufacturers meeting the recently implemented tariffs on steel customer equipment demand. and aluminum imported from Canada, continued on Page 17 the European Union and Mexico. Other

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ink-Belt Cranes Presents the 228HSL – 130-ton Crawler Crane.

• • • • • • • • • • •

45’-235’ Main Boom 30’-75’ Jib Cummins Tier 4 Final 106,150 lb Total Counterweight, easily transportable, and self installing/removing 119,541 lb Transport Weight (Base Crane, Side Frames and Base Boom Section).

44,565 lb Available Line Pull Self-Erecting – Easy and Quickly Link-Belt Exclusive Vision Package (Swing, Hoist and Rear View Cameras) Walkways, Catwalks, Guard Rails Link-Belt HSL Capacity Limiter Virtual Wall Auto Stop

market not only as a great contractor’s crane, but the Link-Belt 228HSL has even started to make a name for itself in the Oil Patch. Features that add to safety and ease of operation leave the competition behind. Take a look at this exciting and productive new crane. Contact Holt Crane and Equipment – 877-275-1520.

If you are looking for a crane that is an upgrade to your 110-ton crawler crane but still want the ease of transportation and set up, the New Link-Belt 228HSL – 130-ton crawler crane may just fit your need. The 228HSL has already developed a strong foot hold in the Texas Crane

New Holland

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onstruction equipment market continues to show strong growth for New Holland.

Takeuchi

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he most compact unit in the Takeuchi track loader lineup, the TL6R is the perfect machine for customers in the agricultural, general contracting, landscaping and rental industries. The machine’s compact dimensions allow it to get into areas with limited space.

With a radial configuration, the TL6R is agile, easy to transport and features outstanding stability and performance.

TL6R Specs The radial lift boom design offers excellent bucket breakout and lift arm force, as well as greater mid height reach when compared to a vertical lift design.

Powered by a 2.4 liter, 65.2 horsepower engine, this machine features a maximum lift height of 9 feet 6.4 inches, and a rated operating capacity of 1,841 pounds.

Additionally, the compact track loader (CTL) has a width of 5 feet and a height of 6 feet 5.8 inches. The machine weighs 7,480 pounds with as open ROPS with canopy or 7,780 pounds when equipped with an enclosed cab. The undercarriage components are model specific with larger bearings that results in slower shaft speeds and longer component life.

All rollers are permanently sealed, with metal face seals to keep dirt and other contaminates out. “The TL6R has been a great addition to our growing and evolving CTL lineup,” says David Caldwell, national product manager at TakeuchiUS. “It delivers outstanding features, unmatched performance, excellent serviceability and is an overall great value.”

TL6R Features For starters, the TL6R features a newly designed cabin with an overhead 5.7-inch multi-information display and backlit rocker switches that control a variety of machine functions. With an automotive styled interior, the enclosed cab with a swing-out door, heat and air conditioner are available for greater operator comfort.

A large front door and rear window provides great visibility to the edge of attachments. A color monitor and rear view camera offers even further visibility.

Standard on the TL6R is quiet track design with flotation pads. This reduces vibration, noise levels, and improves operator comfort.

Takeuchi Fleet Management (TFM) The TL6R comes standard with TFM, telematics for two years at no additional cost. TFM provides a variety of data points including machine health and condition, run time, and machine location. The user-friendly TFM system can help reduce downtime, control costs, perform remote diagnostics, and schedule maintenance. www.landmarkeq.com

“Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, July happened,” says Doran Herritt, Construction product marketing manager. ‘‘The light construction market doubled down on its strength in 2018. Led by compact track loaders (CTL) at 33 percent growth rate, light construction equipment was up by nearly 24 percent in July.”

Other prime categories: skid steer loaders (SSL) up 17 percent and compact excavators (mini ex) up nearly 18 percent.

“It’s not all pure construction customer segment growth either,” Herritt continues. “Ag usage was up 18 percent in July for CTLs. Material handling, something our ‘Superboom’ machines excel at, and rental are also way up.”

It ’s never been a better time to stock and sell New Holland light construction equipment. Grow your business with with New Holland!

E37 angle blade The much-anticipated angle blade for E37C compact excavators launched in August and the order board is filling up fast!

Production for the angle blade is slotted for the first quarter of 2019 with units shipping as early as March. The addition of the angle blade feature allows for more efficient backfilling and makes the machine more versatile in

Bobcat

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Sept: Green Building Nov: Architecture & Engineering Oct: Specialty Contractors Dec: Construction Equipment

Link-Belt 228 HSL

A bullish outlook Brian McGuire, President & CEO Associated Equipment Distributors

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

he M2-Series T650 compact track loader from Bobcat offers a variety of performance, operator comfort and visibility enhancements to help increase operator productivity and provide enhanced machine uptime protection.

Cab comfort is enhanced with an automatic ride control option and new front and rear cab isolators, door seals and side screen dampers to reduce vibration and noise. A redesigned top window improves visibility with a 34 percent increase in open area. This is beneficial

when loading material into a high-sided truck.

Also available is an optional side lighting kit for increased visibility when working when it’s dark.

A reversing fan option allows loader operators to temporarily reverse the cooling fan direction (for several seconds) to blow dust and small debris from the radiator and rear screens. This helps minimize downtime and can reduce the cooling area cleaning frequency.

M2-Series T650 compact track loader

confined working conditions. Now is the time to order as the construction equipment market continues its tremendous growth with compact track loaders and compact excavators leading the way.

The new C245 compact track loader The compact track loader (CTL) market in North America is on the rise with over 15 percent growth each year since 2015. The CTL market is expected to continue and carry that momentum into 2019.

To go further, 25 percent of the CTL market is dedicated to the 4,200+ lb.

ROC (rated operating capacity) at 50 percent tip, category. With 4,500 pounds ROC at 50 percent tip, up to 82 hp hydraulics, and 9,200 pounds of breakout force, the C245 can compete against machines like the Bobcat T740/T750, John Deere 331G, CAT 29902, and the Kubota SVL95.

With the new C245, New Holland dealers have an excellent opportunity to capitalize on a thriving CTL market and participate in that 3,000+ lb. ROC segment. www.landmarkeq.com

Page 14

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

THIS TH MON

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

To represent your company in an upcoming FOCUS, contact DFWeditor@ConstructionNews.net (210) 308-5800

NEXT MONTH (January 2019) Construction Forecast

GEHL RT165 compact track loader

Caterpillar

Cat 259D Compact Track Loader Unmatched Performance & Comfort

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o matter the size or model, every Cat® Compact Track Loader features a suspended undercarriage for superior traction, extra comfort, exceptional stability, longer track life, & lower ground pressure.

Easy-to-use pilot-operated controls keep you more productive throughout the work day. Our high performance powertrain, and advanced hydraulic system, can handle the toughest working conditions.

The Cat® 259D CTL with the reliable

Cat® C3.3B turbocharged engine delivers solid performance & requires no diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). When coupled with this powerhouse & the suspended undercarriage your operators will sit in the finest work station available to make long days seem shorter.

HOLT CAT® has a large inventory of new and used Cat machines, Cat certified technicians and 24/7 Parts availability.

Call today for special financing 877-7054619 or visit HoltCat.com.

Sany

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M2-Series T650 compact track loader

he Gehl RT165 compact track loader takes performance to the next level.

Designed with compact dimensions and operator’s choice of controls—joystick, Tbar, or hand-foot—this machine is ideal for many applications in the rental, landscape and construction industries. It was also built on an adapted R165 skid loader chassis for 85% parts commonality, another benefit for rental companies.

The Gehl RT165 can power through the toughest jobs. It has a 69.3 hp Tier IV Yanmar engine, packed with plenty of low-end torque, and a robust lift-arm that can reach further and dump higher.

The RT165 offers an operating capacity of 1,650 lbs. and a maximum lift height of 119.6” when fully raised. In addition, a low operating weight of only 8,020 lbs makes this machine easy to transport.

Top Features of the Gehl RT165: • IdealTrax™ Automatic Track Tensioning System • Multiple control choices: Pilot Joystick, T-bar, Hand/Foot • Yanmar Tier IV 69.3 hp (51.7 Kw) engine at 2500 rpm providing 179 ft.-lbs. of torque • High-flow auxiliary hydraulics available with 30.1.5 gpm flow (121 L/min)

• Multiple track widths and tread patterns • Low operating weight of 8,020 lbs. (3638 kg) which expands transport options and provides low ground pressures for high flotation • Compact machine width of 66” (1676 mm) with a narrow undercarriage and overall machine height to ROPS at 77.5” (1969 mm) • Excellent breakout forces: • 4,230 lbs. (1,919 kg) tilt • 5,060 lbs. (2,295 kg) lift • Hydrostatic 2-speed drive system • Standard triple flange, maintenance free bogies • Excellent service access to maintenance components: • Large engine cover is hinged and positioned by gas-springs to assist with lifting and hold in place.

• Swing-out rear door allows full access to filters, fluid reservoirs and other maintenance components.

• Swing-out cooler provides improved access to the engine bay area.

• The ROPS/FOPS assembly tilts rearward with a gas-spring and latches safely in place for easy internal access to the pumps, hydraulic valve bank and drive motors.

Genie

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esigned in the United States, made in China, SANY SMG series heavy duty motor grader is built to level the roughest road. Moldboard, ripper, and dozer blade are available to fit for varying road conditions.

Powerful powertrain system Incorporating a low speed, large torque, heavy duty Cummins engine provides SANY SMG motor grader strong horsepower and high efficiency. The direct drive transmission is efficient, responsive, and reduces energy loss, increasing transmission efficiency by 15% compared to a torque convertor motor grader.

At the same time, the grader will be more sensitive to moldboard load, hardness of material, and speed, which helps improve overall performance. With 8 forward and 6 reverse gears, the SMG motor grader is efficient in varying load conditions.

Comfortable and safe cab

From the cab there is excellent 360° visibility on the moldboard, front wheels, and rear wheels for the operator to fully control the grader. A spacious cab, suspended chair, adjustable control panel, oil-bathed travel brake, and shock-absorption structure all contribute to a safe and comfortable environment. Moreover, the cab is designed to reduce the noise under silent ride mode.

Advanced hydraulic system

The load sensing hydraulic system with axial plunger pump enables the SMG motor grader to automatically regulate pump flow based on load conditions, which effectively reduces fuel consumption. The rapid and precise control response results in exceptional grading quality.

Reliable structure The front frame beam consists of four welded high tensile steel plates, and the rear frame is designed to realize optimal balance between front and rear load.

In addition, the SMG motor grader is equipped with A-shaped drawbar, which is highly stable and reliable.

The slewing bearing design utilizes steel balls to maintain separation between the bearing races, thus reducing rotational friction, and providing stable support for radial and axial loads. It is equipped with a large torque overload protection, worm gear, to ensure the motor grader a longer service life.

Easy maintenance The SMG motor grader is designed to minimize your time and trouble. Conveniently located handrails and steps provide easy access to filters, fluids and service items, and centralized lay out of filters and electric elements facilitate serviceability. www.landmarkeq.com

enie® trailer-mounted Z®-booms feature an outstanding operating envelope, making them ideal to reach jobs high and low. With easy-to-tow mobility and simple pictograph controls, Genie trailer-mounted Z-booms take productivity to new heights. Operating envelope of a Z-boom — reaches up, over and out. Genie towable boom lifts provide safe lifting solutions to contractors and homeowners and an excellent return on investment for rental store owners.

The Genie TZ™-50 boom has a working height of 55 ft 6 in and horizontal outreach of 29 ft 2 in. Up-andover clearance is 22 ft. Along with the primary jib boom, the articulating jib boom provides an additional 4 ft 1 in (1.25 m) of horizontal reach and 135° of working range to position the platform above or below horizontal. This machine also has a 500-lb platform capacity and a weight of 4,400 lb.

The Genie TZ-50 lift offers outstanding “up, out and over” capabilities in a compact, lightweight package that is easy to maneuver in congested work areas. An assortment of options and accessories means the Genie TZ-50 lift can be customized to meet jobsite needs.

Other advantages of the Genie TZ-50 lift include: * Compact, narrow design is easy to maneuver in congested work areas * Ground and platform controls utilize symbols to simplify operation

* Optional Drive and Set™ feature lets you drive the unit from the platform when fully lowered * Easy access to batteries — just release the clamp and remove the cover * 359˚ non-continuous turntable rotation * AC power to platform * Illuminated outrigger indicators * Tilt alarm/sensor For more information contact H&E Equipment Services at 877-700-RENT.

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Page 15

Wellspring of bling

Night of awards

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s the end of 2018 approaches, the Regional Black Contractors Association (RBCA) held their annual Year End Awards Gala.

The star-studded night was held at the Hilton Hotel & Resort in Arlington on Oct. 20.

Dr. Claud Anderson inspired everyone as the evening’s keynote speaker. –cmw Lee Alcorn Award: John Wiley Price

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Glynn House-Murray, owner of Architectural Bling

or someone who likes to put the “bling” in her clients’ spaces, Glynn House-Murray says she was decidedly unglamorous as a child.

“I was the biggest tomboy – no bling!”

House-Murray, owner of Architectural Bling says, laughing. “I traded snakes at school with the boys and was not interested in anything being girly or pretty. I used to tell people I should have been a boy. With a name like Glynn, I actually got drafted for the Vietnam War in 1968 and had to go to the draft board to remind them that I was not a boy! My mother, however, had the most exquisite taste and so it finally rubbed off on me when I hit my 20s” House-Murray first recognized her thing for bling when she was a young woman decorating on a dime.

“When I got out of high school, I got married and had a bunch of children very young and learned very quickly, since I didn’t have much money, how to paint everything with a spray can. Starting from a very young age, in every little apartment I had, everything had to match. If it didn’t match, I would go get a can of spray paint and make it look like it all went together with a pair of cheap curtains from Sears. I’ve always kind of had that flair but didn’t realize it.”

House-Murray went on to work as an engineer for energy controls company Johnson Controls. She remarried and moved with her husband to his native Canada in 1990. After they bought a grand but rather ugly spec home, HouseMurray set about beautifying it using large-scale architectural moldings.

Unfortunately, her ceilings and walls were unable to support heavy plaster moldings without significant work and expense. Luckily, an acquaintance connected her with someone who used large-scale faux moldings in casinos.

“I ended up finishing the entire house with these gorgeous, big polyurethane moldings,” she says. “I ended up putting in less than $100,000 in finishing in the house, even though the molding made it look like Versailles. It was gorgeous. People would come over and go, ‘Can you do that for me?’’’ A f t e r completing projects for ambassadors’ wives in Ottowa, House-Murray decided she had to find a way to do it full-time.

Seven years ago, she moved to Texas from Canada and decided to make Architectural Bling official. There was a problem, however.

“My husband hated the name and

thought it was stupid!” she says. “Then, he told me I was too old to do it at 60.”

Undeterred, House Murray found the perfect spot at Turtle Creek and launched her business.

“There was no showroom like this anywhere in North America,” she says.

“Everything in it had to be green, sustainable and faux. We entertained a lot in the showroom in the beginning to introduce people to it and it caught on almost immediately. It was incredible. All of a sudden, I had design groups, like hotel design companies, calling me for something. I may have had no idea how to get it, but I never said no. We built our business around what was asked of us.

Now we have a completely diversified company that does a bit of everything and then some. It all has to be sustainable because I’m one hair short of tree hugger!”

Today, the business is located in Irving and House-Murray has three employees (one of which is her husband!).

She performs most of the design work on her projects, most recently a 8,000sf restaurant.

“I would like to make this into a legacy business to where my children could keep running it,” she says. “I would like to have it run itself actually so I could finally retire one of these days, but I don’t feel like retiring yet. We’re still full speed ahead and I’m amazed how much we have accomplished in such a short period of time. I love making something out of nothing. My mother used to say she loved making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. That’s what I do.”

Supplier Architectural Bling in Irving provides green, sustainable polyurethane building products. –mjm

General Contractor of the Year: Luis Spinola, Azteca Omega (John Bowles accepting on Spinola’s behalf)

Groundbreaker Award: Roy Brooks

Developer of the Year: The Cordish Companies

L-R: Zerius Brittain – Rising Star Award; Tammy Pierce – Pioneer Award; and Jeff Postell – Rookie of the Year Award

Page 16

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Asian contractor awards

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he Asian American Contractors of Texas (AACATX) hosted the 2018 AACATX Awards Oct. 18. The ever-popular event sold out and was held at the Addison Conference Centre. –cmw

Moon Award: Most Outstanding Capacity Building Program of the Year – DART

continued from Page 1 — Premier Striping every trade show and school he could to learn the field.

One thing Bolan has learned is to have one striping machine dedicated to every color of paint, and not to change paint on a single machine – that takes too long. Premier Striping exclusively uses Graco machines and Sherwin-Williams paint. “I learned a long time ago that cheaper is never typically better,” he said.

“We do the best possible work so we use the best possible paint.”

Bolan has done work for major retailers in 36 states. “We’ve dealt with all the No. 1 retailers in one form or another,” he said.

The striping machines and gear are shipped via truck to the job site. Bolan even ships a spare striping machine in case one breaks down. Premier Striping has four crews; sometimes they stay out on the road for up to three weeks at a time. They work mostly at night.

“The quality of my guys is the No. 1 reason why we’re successful,” Bolan said.

Some of his crew have been working at

Premier for 15 years. A number of his guys are egging Bolan on to invest in a drone to take aerial photography of their jobs.

Premier Striping does not sub contract out any of its work. It tries to stay away from doing the actual parking lot layout; rather it concentrates on the restriping. Bolan said he had to do a lot of reading to learn all the nuances of the job.

Because parking lot striping is mandatory with codes and regulations, Bolan stays hopping, taking care of his customers in all their locations. The average life span of a striping job is two years before it needs a fresh coat.

“We specialize in what we do,” Bolan said. “We’re good at what we do. We only have one quality.” It takes five minutes for the paint to dry enough to be walked on and 20 minutes to be driven over.

From the postal service to removing chewing gum to Premier Striping - it’s been a wild journey but a good one. Bolan is right where he was destined to be.

Premier Striping is a parking lot maintenance business, located in Azle. -dsz

continued from Page 1 — Stallons AC

Sun Award: Most Outstanding Public Entity of the Year – Dallas Independent School District

Gemini Award: Outstanding Teaming Partners of the Year – Austin Commercial

Saturn Award: Most Valuable AACATX Member of the Year – Raj and Anna Asava, Co-founders North Texas Food Bank – Indian American Council

him, the transition was natural.

Today the family-owned-and-operated business has five employees, with two being Stallons’ sons Klint and Kyle.

Klint is a service technician and sales associate. Kyle recently took the role as the marketing representative for the company. Stallons also considers Galileo, who has been with the company nine years, as part of the family; Stallons has known the service technician ever since Galileo and Klint attended kindergarten together. There are also two helpers that work for the company, and everyone gets along great. After work, they sometimes go over their day with each other and share stories that start out like, “A dog attacked me,” laughed Stallons.

Overall, the Stallons’ AC team members are compliant with each other and accommodating with their customers.

As a matter of fact, sometimes on a Sunday morning after church, customers will tell Klint, “Oh, my gosh! I just saw you in my house this weekend!” That’s because Klint and Kyle are both talented and professional musicians. On Sundays, Klint is on stage at church playing the fiddle. Kyle, Stallons’ oldest son, just

came back from the music scene in Nashville, TN this past summer. “He was in Nashville for 10 years. Klint came back [from Nashville] five years ago. He and Kyle were touring together with Brad Paisley,” said Stallons. This Texas-raised family returned to their roots and is now highly involved in the family business.

Stallons’ sons may not be recognized for just their music either; Klint and Kyle attended Aledo High School. “If anyone knows anything about high school football [in Texas], they know about Aledo.”

What’s next for Stallons AC? Stallons says they’ve grown every year and have reached the goal he had for many years.

“We hit a million last year. I was ecstatic.

We did it again this year and went over. If we keep on this path, that will be fantastic,” shared Stallons.

Family is the backbone of the company, but the Aledo community that they love also supports them. “We have grown so much out here.” Indeed, they have. With 21 years of business, Stallons AC will be happily ending their year and looking forward to starting the next.

Stallons AC is a HVAC contractor in Aledo, TX. –lv

continued from Page 1 — MEDCO Construction

Gemini Award: Outstanding Teaming Partners of the Year – Scott Harris University of North Texas

Juno Award: Most Outstanding Female Community Leader of the Year – Grace McDermott, President USPAACC Southwest

Jupiter Award: Most Outstanding Male Community Leader of the Year – John Martinez, President Regional Hispanic Contractors Association

Star Award: Most Outstanding Diversity Champion of the Year – Zarin Gracey, Managing Director City of Dallas

Neptune Award: Most Outstanding M/WBE Business of the Year – CEGI Tiles

system units support the facility.

Construction of the six-story-high lobby posed a complex coordination challenge due to the high elevation and tight quarters. MEDCO developed a plan that scheduled all 11 trades in and out of the constricted space in a timely manner using a single boom lift.

Over 24 constructive change directives leading to the equivalent of 700 new plan sheets were received; MEDCO managed this document challenge with Bluebeam and designated one person to update Bluebeam to ensure access to the most current sheets.

The team encountered numerous conflicts in the MEP to structural concrete or steel during the Building Information Modeling (BIM) process. Partial redesigns of the mechanical systems occurred upon discovery of insufficient space to accommodate all ductwork and piping in certain areas. In one case, the team swapped an electrical room for a fiber-optic networking closet to allow pathways to continue to the building’s upper levels.

Operable door panels, 32-ft tall, divided the athletic field. A prominent turf contractor had never encountered a door track in the middle of a field nor the corresponding need to find a means for

turf to sit flat on the door track. MEDCO and the subcontractor utilized mock-ups and foot tests to ultimately create a removable, numbered and correctly oriented system of turf panels to provide a seamless surface that is safe for beginner to professional athletes.

Truly a community project, all but three of the project’s 60-plus subcontracting partners were from the Dallas/ Fort Worth or surrounding areas, providing a direct benefit to the local economy.

In addition, the Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star is the first-of-its-kind collaboration, bringing together the best techniques in injury protection, recovery, education and research.

MEDCO worked with two drawing packages from two different design teams, Perkins+Will and e4h Architects, to accomplish this expansive project.

Perkins+Will was the lead architect on the core and shell and most tenant suites, while e4h designed the ambulatory surgery center. MEDCO managed the multiple packages utilizing Bluebeam Studio.

MEDCO Construction is a full-service general contractor located in Dallas, TX. -cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

Page 17

continued from Page 13

Due to the booming economy, manufacturers were already having a difficult time producing equipment needed to meet the demand of AED members and their customers. It’s unclear yet whether the steel tariffs have caused a production decrease. However, manufacturers, particularly companies making specialized machinery and attachments, are increasing prices creating an inflationary effect in the industry. The longer the steel tariffs remain in place the more detrimental the impact, as equipment will get more expensive, reducing demand and likely hindering growth in the broader construction industry as the cost of doing business increases for contractors and

other users of heavy machinery

On a more positive note, soon after being sworn into office, President Trump imposed a limit on regulations requiring two to be cut for every one issued, dramatically improving the regulatory environment. At the Department of Labor, Environmental Protection Agency and others, major rules promulgated during the Obama administration have been repealed or are in the process of being revised. However, we do anticipate rulemakings in the future that will impact the construction equipment industry, although hopefully in a positive way. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has commenced a rulemaking to ex-

Association Calendar

Content submitted by Associations to Construction News AACATX

APWC

American Asian Contractors Assn of TX

Dec. 12: Twelve Days of Christmas at the Arboretum, 8525 Garland Rd., Dallas, TX, 6-9pm. For more info, email Sam Hsu at samhsu2@hotmail.com AIA Dallas American Institute of Architects

Dec. 6: 2018 Holiday Party, Chapter Awards & Toy Drive, Architect and Design Exchange (AD EX), 325 N. St. Paul St. #150, Dallas. 7-10pm. For info: 214-880-1508 or email sche@aiadallas.org Dec. 8: AIA Dallas Community Grand Opening, Architect and Design Exchange (AD EX), 325 N. St. Paul St. #150, Dallas, TX, 10am-3pm.

AIA Fort Worth American Institute of Architects

Dec. 19: Joint Holiday Party, WeWork Clearfox, 5049 Edwards Ranch Clearfox, Fort Worth, TX, 5-8pm. For more info, call 817-334-0155

T

Assn of Professional Women in Construction

Dec. 19: Holiday Party. For more info, go to www.apwc.us ASA American Subcontractors Assn

Dec. 6: December Lunch Meeting, Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N. O’Connor Rd., Irving, TX, 11am-12pm. For more info, call Beverly Reynal at 817-640-8275 ASCE Dallas American Society of Civil Engineers

Dec. 10: Branch Meeting, Vouv Meeting & Event Space, 4445 Sigma Rd., 11am2pm. For more info, go to www.dallasasce.org CSI Dallas Construction Specifications Institute

Dec. 13: Holiday Charity Gala, Addison Conference Center, 15650 Addison Rd., Addison, TX. For more info, email info@ dallascsi.org

amine and modify hours-of-service regulations that we anticipate will provide some relief to AED members. Additionally, the Internal Revenue Service continues to issue guidance and rules related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

AED looks forward to working with all lawmakers, regardless of political party, to pursue pro-growth policies that expand equipment markets and lower our members’ cost-of-doing business. During the past two years, AED has laid the groundwork to engage Republicans and Democrats in Washington, positioning the association to work on a bipartisan basis regardless of party control. Divided government provides a unique opportunity for Congress and the president to work across the aisle to solve the biggest issues facing

the United States, such as rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. While there is a degree of uncertainty about what the leadership in the new congress will look like, as far as AED’s legislative agenda goes, there’s early optimism about one of the equipment industry’s top legislative priorities - infrastructure investment. Other areas of bipartisan compromise could be workforce development and ratifying the renegotiated NAFTA (known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canadian Agreement).

Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) is an international trade association representing companies involved in the distribution, rental and support of equipment used in construction, mining, forestry, power generation, agriculture and industrial applications. -cmw

DACA

NTRCA

Drywall & Acoustical Contractors Assn

North TX Roofing Contractors Assn

Dec. 13: DACA Austin 3rd Annual Banquet, Maggiano’s at The Domain, 10910 Domain Dr. For more info, go to www.dacafw.org IEC Dallas Independent Electrical Contractors

Dec. 7: Christmas Party, Gilley’s Dallas, 1135 S. Lamar St., Dallas, TX, 6:30pm. For more info, email susan@iecdallas.com IEC Fort Worth

Dec. 12: Monthly Meeting, Texas Star Golf & Conference, Gaylord Texan Resort & Conference Center, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, TX. For more info, call 817-734-8373 RBCA Regional Black Contractors Assn

Dec. 6: RBCA Christmas Party. For info, contact Brenea Proctor at bproctor@ blackcontractors.org or 214-565-8946 RHCA

Independent Electrical Contractors

Dec. 6: IEC Christmas Party, The Whiskey Ranch, 4250 Mitchell Blvd., 6:30-9pm. For more info, call Jo Britt at 817-496-8422 NAWIC Fort Worth Nat’ll Assn of Women in Construction

Dec. 20: Monthly Business Meeting & Christmas Celebration. For more info, email Lori Donnell at lorid.nawic@gmail.com NAWIC Dallas

Regional Hispanic Contractors Assn

Dec. 12: Twelve Days of Christmas at the Arboretum, 8525 Garland Rd., Dallas, TX, 6-8pm.

Dec. 13: State of the Hispabnic Business Forum in North Texas, 500 W. Las Colinas, Irving, TX, 10am-1:30pm. For more info, call Yolanda at 972-786-0909 TEXO The Construction Assn

Nat’l Assn of Women in Construction

Dec. 18: 2018 Holiday Party. Ferrari’s Italian Villa, 1200 William D Tate Ave., Grapevine, TX. 6-8pm. For more info, go to www.nawic-dallas.org

Dec. 6: TEXO Holiday & Awards Gala, Hyatt Regency Downtown, 300 Reunion Blvd., Dallas, 6-11pm.

Dec. 13: December Colleagues + Cocktails, Location TBD, 4:30-6:30pm. For more info, call 214-389-4659

AIA presents built design awards he American Institute of Architects Dallas Chapter (AIA) held their 2018 Built Design Awards at The Carlisle Room on Oct. 4. Over 60 entries were received.

Small Projects Honor Award: Cunningham Architects, Burial Crypt Cistercian Monastery (photo not available). –cmw

Large Projects Honor Award: GFF, Factory Six03

Large Projects Honor Award: SmithGroup, Champion’s Hall

Small Projects Honor Award: HKS Inc., Novartis Café

Large Projects Honor Award: Cunningham Architects, Temple Emanu-El

Large Projects Honor Award: Merriman Anderson Architects Inc., The Statler

Large Projects Honor Award: GFF, Hockaday Centennial Center

Small Projects Honor Award: Max Levy Architect, House Addiiton

Small Projects Honor Award: Bodrom+Fruit, Preston Hollow Residence

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

HALLOWEEN PHOTOS

RLG Consulting Engineers’ marketing team

Rogers-O’Brien

Aspenmark Roofing & Solar

Frazier Roofs & Gutters

Buyers Barricades

Osburn Contractors

Baker Triangle Pre-fab Division

City Sign Services McCarthy Building Systems

TDIndustries

Gambling with a cause

T

he Conley Group in conjunction with the Care and Mercy Foundation held a charity Texas Hold’em tournament on Oct. 27 to benefit The Conley Group Foundation. The tournament was 2019 World Series of Poker qualifying bracket event with Project RELO Casino Royale. -cmw

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018

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Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • DEC 2018