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CONSTRUCTION
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The Industry’s Newspaper www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 17 H Number 5 H MAY 2019
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On the road again…
Specialty contractor recognized
Kenneth Looney, owner of JBN Electric
L-R: ABC President & CEO Mike Bellman, Mike Holland and ABC 2019 National Chair Tony Rader
enneth Looney got into the electrical trade quite by accident. After his hitch in the Army, Looney was working as an aircraft mechanic at Love Field. When the 747s came out, their engines were too big for Looney’s shop. During the six-week period of remodeling to accommodate the bigger engines, Looney was laid off. His brother-in-law got him a job at his place, a company that did electrical, plumbing and HVAC. This firm asked Looney which of the three areas he’d like to work in, and he chose electrical. When he was asked to come back to the aircraft business, he decided to stay where he was. “There was so much new stuff to learn about electricity,” Looney said. He learned it well, becoming a journeyman
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in a year and a half. Moving along to other companies, Looney was a foreman on a particular job and impressed them so much that they asked him to work for them exclusively and not for an electrical company. Looney had to hire a master electrician while he studied to become one and get his contractor’s license. When he did, JBN Electric was formed in April 1974. (It was originally J & N Electric at first: Jason is his son and Nancy his wife. When daughter Brooke was born in 1981, Looney changed the name to JBN.) “It was just me and a helper when I first started out,” Looney said. That and his used truck, used tools and used ladder. But JBN grew quickly. “Before I knew continued on Page 14
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onstruction companies all over this great nation of ours strive to be the best at what they do by creating quality projects, a safe work environment and a team of outstanding craft professionals. From its early days as a small residential drywaller founded by three brothers to its current stature as one of the largest specialty contractors in the South, MAREK has always relied on the power of its people. The company now has more than 1500 employees in seven regional offices. Recently, at the Association Builders & Contractors (ABC) National Convention, MAREK was awarded the 2018 Contractor of the Year for embodying the core values and philosophy of ABC through MAREK’s corporate integrity,
commitment to their employees, dedication to outstanding craftsmanship and their esteem in the industry at large. As the ABC convention approached, Mike Holland, MAREK COO, was notified they were going to be awarded this distinction. “We were ecstatic from the moment we heard. This is a huge honor and knowing it ahead of time didn’t diminish from the moment,” says Holland. “We did not nominate ourselves. I’m sure there were criteria on ABC’s end, but we did not fill out a narrative or send pictures or programs.” Across four generations, MAREK leaders have built a business that prides itself on repeat clients. The 81-year-old family business has an impressive project portfolio, a stellar safety record, a revercontinued on Page 14
Unique shopping experience
oeris General Contractors Ltd., originally founded as Joeris & Clauss Company in 1967, began business by matching its construction expertise with its clients’ need for high quality, cost-effective institutional facilities in Texas. Because most of its work comes from repeat clients, Joeris’ project scope has continually expanded and changed in response to clients’ needs. The company is vastly experienced in higher education facilities, multi-story office buildings, restaurants, hotels, churches, retail, renovation and restoration, and complex health care facilities. With the same company bonding them throughout its 52-year history, Joeris has a current bonding capacity of $500,000,000. This allows Joeris to construct large, single- or multi-phased projects. Tom Thumb is one of the first retail spaces to take root at the newest, 30-story, mixed-use campus, The Union. Locat-
The new Tom Thumb located at the corner of Field St. and Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas, TX.
ed at the corner of Field St. and Cedar Springs Rd. in Dallas, TX, this dual-tower project connects the surrounding neighborhoods with the 70,857sf grocery store. The store is conveniently located on the first floor, featuring integral colored polished concrete, white painted concrete deck, porcelain and ceramic tile, plastic and laminate wall paneling, epoxy flooring, stainless steel trim and the latest Tom Thumb décor. The sales floor is covered in a 4-inch integral colored polished concrete slab. Deli, Bakery and Meat departments feature Stonhard epoxy floors, while the Pharmacy and store entrances have carpet. Exterior walls have plastic laminate wainscot. Department walls highlight white 3’’x6’’ tile with color accent bands and stainless steel. The Union Tap bar area has Crossville Cava tile at a fourscreen TV wall. Cloud hanging ceilings at the floral, cheese and fresh cuts bars continued on Page 14