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CONSTRUCTION NEWS The Industry’s Newspaper
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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 24 H Number 5 H MAY 2021
Passion set in concrete
Carrying on at 40
Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC co-owner, Juan Barboza, III
GD Interior Construction team members L-R: Carlos Martinez, Paul Ayres, Lindsey Sutherland, Liberty Martinez and Angel Robles.
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or more than 40 years, Juan J. Barboza Jr. has been doing concrete work for large contractors. His passion for the trade resonated to his son, Juan Barboza III, who followed in his father’s footsteps. Just like his father before him, he went to work for general contractors and just like his father, he performed concrete work for the contractors he worked for. After working his way up to superintendent, Barboza III decided it was time that he and his father start doing something for themselves. In 2016, taking a leap of faith, the dynamic dual started Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC as a concrete contracting company. “When I started in construction, I began as a field hand and worked my way
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up to surveyor, doing surveying and laying out. From surveyor I worked hard and became project superintendent,” says Barboza. “While working with Bartlett Cocke I started and completed a four year ABC carpentry apprenticeship program. I completed the four year program and earned an ABC Carpentry Journeyman certifications with the support of my then employer Bartlett Cocke.” Getting Barboza & Sons up and running was not very difficult for the father and son team. “Through my faith, experience and contacts starting this business venture was not difficult. I’m all about quality. I knew there were other contractors out there that were doing what we could do but l also was aware of lack of continued on Page 18
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fter spending 18 years working on interior finish outs, drywall, acoustical ceilings, etc. Gary Sutherland decided he could do the same thing working for himself. He went home and told his wife that he was going to start his own company. That was 1981 and GD Interior Construction was up and running, making a name for itself in the San Antonio construction community. GD Interior Construction by all respects was a family business. The company was made up of Gary, his wife, his brothers, uncles and a few cousins working out of the Sutherland house. Eventually, GD Interior Construction moved into a warehouse space just down the road from their current location which they have been in since the early ‘90s to the best of Lindsey
Sutherland’s recollection. Lindsey was 2 years old when her dad, Gary, started the company. Seven years ago, Gary passed away. Lindsey couldn’t fathom closing the doors. “It just didn’t feel right,” says Lindsey. She has been keeping her father’s company and his legacy alive ever since. “As a company, it’s been 40 years but for us, it’s only been seven,” says Lindsey. “There was a steep learning curve. I was around the business most of my life, but not in it because it is not what I had planned on doing. “When I came on board here, the company was still running like 1989. We had to change things. We had to get new accounting software, new estimating continued on Page 18
80 looks good and so does she
he weather was perfect on Saturday April 24 when family and guests headed to the Double M Ranch to celebrate Marge Ohlenbusch’s 80th birthday. The matriarch of the Ohlenbusch and Alamo Crane Service family was having a ball with all the well-deserved attention especially from her four kids (Bobby was there is spirit), nine grand kids and 17 great grands. One of the very funny things observed was the parents trying to keep the babies from getting into the pool. I guess Ma Maw loves to have plenty of these little fishies in her pond. Guests were treated to a great buffet catered by Black Tie Affairs Catering and country music was provided by Dana Wehrmann & The Ranger Band. When asked what best describes her mom, Gina Ohlenbusch said, “One word that describes my mama is “Exceptional.” Her love for her family and friends is
truly special and she goes above and beyond to make every one of us feel so loved. Whether it is a simple phone call, picking out that perfect gift or planning one of her fun-filled parties she is known for. She never meets a stranger and would give them the shirt off her back if needed. She is our glue that keeps us together, our rock that we lean on, our role model and our angel sent from heaven. These are a few of the many exceptional qualities she possesses. Congratulations to Marge from Construction News. -bd
Marvin and Marge hold up those special 80 & Fabulous cookies.
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
Getting it done
Every guy’s dream
L-R: Ray Camarillo, Rick Garza and Juan Garcia
Coppera LLC, San Antonio
ay Camarillo has been involved in real estate and construction his entire life. His father, Guadalupe Camarillo, was a master framing carpenter. He taught Ray, “construction should be level and square,” says Ray. “And that both should also be applied to life. He would often say ‘a building is only as good as it’s foundation.’” In 1975, Ray started purchasing houses to repair and resell. He also built several starter houses, with starter houses being less than 1,200sf. However, Ray wasn’t in the “hire for construction work” for others until 1987. That was the year Ray started Yellowroc Construction. “My first construction commission job was to build a two-story, 2,600sf-deep house on the Southside of San Antonio. From there, we did another two-story, split-level house just north of Thousand Oaks Dr. It was 2,890sf home,” recalls Ray. With some wind under his wings, Yellowroc Construction started successfully bidding jobs for San Antonio Development Agency (SADA), San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA), Veteran’s Affairs (VA),
Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Bexar County (under the CDBG funding), City of San Antonio Parks & Recreation and numerous other jobs under the private sector. Around 2010, Yellowroc slowed down, downsized their work crew and concentrated on smaller jobs, mostly through referrals. It was about this time that Ray’s son, Juan Garcia, part-owner of Yellowroc Construction and his work partner, Rick Garza, joined the company. “These two young men are awesome,” says Ray. “They are talented, gifted workmen. They have brought new energy into the company. They are the ‘Get ‘er done’ guys. The two of them, at their age, have more knowledge of construction than I did at their age. I am positive they will go far in the construction arena.” Family-owned and operated, Yellowroc Construction is a full-service construction company and they have several mottos they work by: “If we bid on a job, regardless of price, we give it our best; the work we do is our signature; and working hard for better tomorrow.” -cmw
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riginally founded in Austin, TX in 2007, Coppera LLC has expanded to San Antonio, opening its second location in Aug. 2020. While conducting interviews for a foreman position to run a job in San Antonio, Sam Dowdy, Jr., owner of Coppera found the perfect individual and realized an optimal opportunity. Instead of hiring a foreman, Dowdy offered Gary Gentry the opportunity to open and run Coppera’s San Antonio location. Bringing 30-plus years of experience, Gentry knows plumbing and most importantly, he knows San Antonio. “It’s a dream come true. Every guy dreams of running his own operation,” says Gentry. “I believe God meant for me to meet Sam. I believe God meant for Coppera to come to San Antonio, and I believe God meant for me to be a part of this expansion into San Antonio.” Passionate about plumbing, Gentry is equally passionate about educating the next generation. This just happens to be a major stance with Coppera as a company. Coppera is big in training and
education, and big in serving the community. Since opening in August, Coppera San Antonio has grown to employ 14 passionate individuals. “I’m really proud of the team we have here,” Gentry said. “The support system here is unbelievable. Coppera is a company that says they live by their mission statement; they say they live by their values. I’ve worked for other companies that tell the public that but behind closed doors, it’s a different story. This company lives by its core values and mission statement - ‘We use the professional trade that was given to us, by God, to grow in our relationships with the people we encounter and through workmanship that reflects our values.’” Coppera specializes in repair and maintenance of commercial boilers, water heaters, and pipe systems with licensed technicians with extensive experience and knowledge tending to commercial plumbing and construction projects. “We are here in San Antonio. We are here to stay. We want to do anything we can for our community and help educate people in the trade,” says Gentry. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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Expanding a footprint
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H&E Equipment Services
&E Equipment Services, one of the largest rental equipment companies in the nation, was founded in 1961. The company celebrates 50 years in business with the opening of a new facility in Longview, TX, bringing the number of H&E branches in the state of Texas to 22. Located at 5028 W Loop 281 South in Longview, TX, the 8,200sf facility sits on 2.3 acres with a fully fenced yard area, offices, parts warehouse, and a repair shop with five service bays. It is capable of servicing a variety of construction and general industrial equipment for customers in northeast Texas. The new branch will concentrate in rental of aerial lifts, telescopic forklifts, earthmoving machinery, compaction equipment, generators, compressors, and more and represents the following manufacturers: Allmand, Atlas Copco, Blue Diamond, Bomag, Case, Club Car, Doosan, Gehl, Generac Mobile, Genie, Hamm, Hy-Brid Lifts, JCB, JLG, John Deere, Kubota, Ledwell, Lincoln Electric, LayMor, Link-Belt Excavators, MEC, Miller,
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Multiquip, Okada, Polaris, Skyjack, SkyTrak, Sullair, Sullivan-Palatek, Takeuchi, Towmaster Trailers, Wacker Neuson, Yanmar, and others. Sitting between Tyler and Marshall, TX, the two largest cities in the region, the Longview facility is strategically located to service multiple markets in East Texas. “It extends the reach between our existing branches in the growing markets of Dallas and Shreveport,” says Branch Manager Trey Austin. “By working in tandem with our other H&E facilities, we’ve created significant operational efficiencies that will enable us to expand our local customer base as well as deliver even better support to our current customers.” The facility provides expanded new and used equipment sales, parts availability within 24 hours for most items, a large equipment rental fleet, in-shop and mobile service repairs, training, and other value-added services. H&E Equipment Services is a provider of heavy construction equipment. -cmw
Momentous chapter begins
ormerly the home of GW Mitchell Construction for over 60 years, the Mirano Building is getting an architectural facelift as RVK breaks ground on their future home. On Apr. 2, RVK hosted a groundbreaking ceremony followed by a walk-through of the building with renderings of the building’s future look
displayed throughout. “This will be our new location after being at our previous location for 30 years,” says RVK President Judy Zimmerman. “As we celebrate 50 years this year, we are excited about this opportunity and this new chapter in the life of RVK.” -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
An interest sparked
Good times overhead
L-R: Ken and David Dolle of Vollmer Electric
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riginally established as South Texas Electric and Mechanical by Ferdinand J. Vollmer’s grandfather and a partner in 1917, the company became Vollmer Electric Co. in 1924 when Ferdinand’s grandfather and his partner parted ways. For over 40 years, Vollmer Electric was owned and operated by a Vollmer. When Ferdinand was ready to retire in 2015, he sold the company to long-time employee Ken Dolle who had been overseeing the company’s operations for more than 20 years prior to Ferdinand’s retirement. Growing up, Ken’s mother worked for a local electrical supplier and sparked his interest in the electrical trade. He began working for Bexar Electric Co., which is now known as IES Commercial, the summer between his junior and senior years of high school. In 1985, Ken went to work for Vollmer Electric. Ken’s son, David Dolle, followed in his footsteps. He, like his dad, got involved in the electrical trade the summer between his junior and senior years of
high school when he came to work at Vollmer Electric. Today, David serves as project manager for the company. As one of the oldest electrical contracting companies in San Antonio, the 97-year-old company specializes primarily in new commercial construction, commercial retrofit, commercial service, high-end new residential construction and residential service. “We do service anywhere, but our residential work isn’t your typical residential. It’s multi-milliondollar new residential construction,” states David. Vollmer Electric performs new construction work throughout central Texas. “We try to stay in San Antonio, but we will go where our customers want us to go,” adds Ken. “We do stay within San Antonio for residential service work. “We’ve been here 97 years and we plan on being here for another 97 years. We’re looking forward to celebrating 100 years in business in 2024.” Vollmer Electric is a full-service electrical contractor in San Antonio. -cmw
TNT Crane & Rigging Inc. Branch Manager Johnny Johnson – San Antonio & Austin
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here are a lot of good things happening right now for TNT Crane & Rigging Inc. - one of the largest O & M crane service providers in North America. March marks the one-year anniversary of the opening of TNT’s Austin branch. “We are staffing that location as we speak,” says Johnny Johnson, TNT Crane & Rigging Branch Manager. “We are doing a real estate hunt to find a nice big yard up there that can handle the growth we anticipate happening in the Austin market.” Just over two years ago, TNT moved its San Antonio location to I-10 and Trainer Hale Rd. in Marion, just outside of San Antonio. “It was a bit more advantageous for us. It was a bigger yard and more conducive for cranes. It’s a good location to hit all points - north, south, east or west - and service the market much better than we were able to before. The San Antonio branch is doing very well. We support a diversified endmarket blend from power to commercial to oil field. There’s lots of growth. I think as Texas opens back up and things become more ‘normalized,’ I’m more and more optimistic about the next two years.” The San Antonio and Austin markets, which Johnson runs, is in close proximity to TNT’s Dallas, Corpus, Midland and Houston markets. This allows for an incredible amount of flexibility and available resources from the neighboring branches and vice versa. “When they call and say, ‘Hey Johnny, we need a crawler or a RT, or we need these cranes here,’ I can get them there and get them there quickly based on my schedule,” Johnson says. In addition to Texas, TNT Crane & Rigging provides services to customers in Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. They are the parent company to four companies located in key markets across North America. Southway Crane & Rigging supports the Southeastern part of the United States – Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee. RMS Cranes, headquartered in Denver, serves customers in the Rocky Mountains from Montana and North Dakota down to New Mexico. And finally, Stampede Crane & Rigging and Eagle West Cranes in Western Canada serves as a platform for TNT’s anticipated future growth in Canada. “We have over 40 branches and almost 700 cranes
throughout the United States and Western Canada,” Johnson adds. “Crane rental is one of the most unique trades there is because there’s not one single industry, during any given time, that doesn’t need us,” continues Johnson. “That store over there, they are going to need to set an A/C up there sooner or later. That building behind it, those light towers, sooner or later they are going to need to change the cell towers or lights and they’ll need a crane. “There is so much happening right now and diversification is the key. I think the team that we have assembled in San Antonio and Austin is phenomenal. We realize we are a customer service company. We just happen to use cranes to perform that customer service. The salesmen get us the first job. The crane that rolls out and arrives on site and the team that builds the crane to reach 400 feet in the air and the operators and riggers that complete the lift, all done safely to our customers’ expectations and requirements, gets us the second job. It’s all customer service, safety, efficiency – all those things the customer wants to see.” One of the biggest things going on with TNT is the culture change that began in 2014. TNT President Kregg Lunsford and CEO Mike Appling recognized that they needed to change the status quo culture - that incidents and injuries are part of the job. They implemented the Incident and Injury-Free® (IIF) Safety Approach which places the highest value on people: employees, their families and co-workers, which results in a cohesive and caring team environment for delivering results safely. “It’s about building a good team, staying engaged with them and being there when they need you. The communication and our culture at TNT is phenomenal. Operations was tasked with establishing and rebuilding relationships with our teams and changing our culture in support of making sure everybody goes home each day the same way they started it. Every morning, our team members are addressed – ‘I see you are here physically, are you here mentally?’ Everybody has distractions in life and if we can help team member out with those distractions, it makes it better, happier culture for all. Team before self.” -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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Painting San Antonio
fter years of learning the painting trade as a helper, Joe Tellez came to realize he wanted to have his own painting company. Absorbing the knowledge and learning the skills of the painting industry from the experienced painters he worked with, Joe Tellez was well on his way to conquering his dream of owning his own painting business. In 1982, that dream came true with the establishment of Tellez Painting. In 2009, Joe Tellez retired, passing the torch to his son, Jesse Tellez Jr. “We are a family-owned and operated business. We aim to provide top quality services to our customers at affordable prices,” says Jesse. Jesse learned the painting trade from his dad. He started going to jobs with his dad at an early age where his dad taught him all the tricks of the trade. Painting quickly became a pasIsaac Tellez works his magic on a complicated ceiling. sion for the young Jesse and has made a good living providing for his matching, pressure washing, plaster and family as respected painter. drywall. “We promise a perfect finish, top “My dad passed the business to me quality results for all our customers. This proand next year, I will pass the business on to mise is backed up by our years of experience my son Isaac,” adds Jesse. “This is a good and the skill of our professionals,” adds Jesse. trade. I enjoy working with all our custom- Tellez Painting Inc. is fully licensed, ers and making new ones. My son, Isaac, insured and bonded. “We use only quality he will do great.” paints. Our professional team of paint Tellez Painting, also known as Tellez & ers are pre-screened and background Sons Painting Inc., services all of San An- checked,” adds Jesse. “We do it right the tonio. Specializing in residential and com- first time. Every time!” mercial painting, no job is too small. Their Tellez Painting is a full-service painting services include exterior painting, color contractor in San Antonio. -cmw
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Industry FOLKS Scott Flick Sales Alamo Crane Service San Antonio, TX
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orn in Arlington, TX, Scott Flick grew up in Mesquite, TX where he says, “I had a wonderful childhood living close to Dallas with many exciting things to do and playing sports with my brother. We were very involved with sports throughout our youth.” Scott graduated from North Mesquite High School. After graduation, Scott decided that college would be a good fit for him and attended Tarleton State University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology. “I enjoyed creating things using different machine processes and thought I would like to make a career of it. “I’m married to the most wonderful, kind-hearted and passionate woman in the world. We met in college. Samantha is from New Braunfels where we now reside. She is a teacher and a coach at a local school.” Together, Scott and Samantha have four beautiful children who keep them on their toes. “Each of them are their own person and very unique. They are all a perfect blend of my wife and myself. Our two oldest are both girls and the two youngest are boys. Their ages are 2, 5, 8 and 10.” Scott and his family are proud to include two dogs to their family dynamic. “My 10-year-old has a Maltipoo and my 8-year-old has a Golden Doodle. Both dogs are less than a year old. We are also fostering a whole
mess of kittens.” Scott started at Alamo Crane after moving to the area from college looking for a temporary job. “I needed to make a little money while I searched for place to start my career using my degree.” Scott started in dispatch. Working in dispatch for two years, he learned a lot about the cranes and the business. He is currently in sales and has been for six years “I love being able to move around, in and out of the office, on jobsites and traveling the state. I am very busy and love being busy. “In my life I look up to my father as well as my stepfather. From teaching me how to work on things to playing sports, they have both influenced me in all aspects of life.” A father of your children, as previously mentioned, Scott says he doesn’t have time for hobbies. “Relaxation? What’s that? I don’t have much time for hobbies and relaxing is out of the question. When I’m not at work, I’m either at practice or games for my kids. When I do get some time, we really enjoy riding dirt bikes and hunting. I guess you could say, non-work time is all about family time.”-cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
ACCOUNTING
INSURANCE
Understanding the makings of a $2 Trillion infrastructure project
What, Me Worry? Subsidence/ Earth Movement Douglas Lynch, Senior Vice President Brookstone Insurance Group Addison, TX
Joe Brusuelas, RSM Chief Economist RSM US LLP San Antonio, TX
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he latest report card on the nation’s infrastructure from the American Society of Civil Engineers confirms what just about everyone already knows: It’s old, it’s broken and it doesn’t work anymore. To address this gap, the Biden administration has proposed spending roughly $2 trillion over the next decade. Among the initiatives are $621 billion for roads, bridges and highways; $480 billion to facilitate manufacturing growth and research; and $213 billion for housing infrastructure. The rest would go to projects including productivityenhancing investment in technological infrastructure and resilient environmental infrastructure, as well as expanding access to home care. It was of little surprise that the ASCE communicated the need for an ambitious effort to align America’s national infrastructure with its economic and social needs. In 2019, the United States spent only 2.5% of gross domestic product on infrastructure, down from 4.2% in the 1930s. This implies a shortfall of close to $3.7 trillion over the next decade. The economics of Biden’s plan are straightforward. A project that modernizes the national infrastructure means increased jobs, productivity and growth, all of which will result in a meaningful increase in the living standards for Americans. In our estimation, a $2 trillion infrastructure project would result in an additional $6.1 trillion in economic activity over the next decade, result in an improvement in gross domestic product of 0.4% per year and add 3.2 million jobs over 10 years. In addition, with the term structure of real interest rates likely to be negative over the next year or two, now is the time to act boldly and with intent. Understanding what such an ambitious infrastructure project entails is almost as challenging as figuring out how to pay for it. Since nothing of this scale has been attempted since the Eisenhower administration of the 1950s, such a project may require explanation. From our vantage point, a modernday effort to improve America’s infrastructure will create the conditions for an acceleration and transformation toward the digital future of the American economy. The foundation of that effort will likely revolve around the concept of what might be called I2R. We would define I2R in three parts. First component: Big I The first part would be what we refer to as “Big I,” or the repair, rehabilitation or construction of traditional infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, ports, waterways, water delivery, sewers, rail, public transit, public aviation and public sector ventilation systems at schools. These are the big, time-consuming and expensive projects that underscore everyday life. The federal government has done these before, financing and building the national highway system, the transcontinental railroad, Hoover Dam and the Erie Canal. These are the public projects that the private sector neither has the financial depth to finance or build on its own. Second component: Little i The second part is what we would refer to as “Little i,” or the critical infrastructure of the digital economy. This includes 5G, broadband, electric charging stations, public health and other infrastructure to support the use of data ana-
lytics, internet of things, artificial intelligence and machine learning to push the outer boundaries of productivity that can lift living standards. This will require innovative publicprivate partnerships to extend broadband and 5G connectivity to every corner of the U.S. economy. The need for this and its importance in the new economy became particularly apparent during the pandemic when so many people could not go to school or work because of lack of broadband. Third component: R The third component of any infrastructure program will revolve around “R,” or making critical infrastructure resilient. Electrical grids need to be brought up to code to withstand current and future shocks associated with climate change, and to ensure that geostrategic competition and conflict do not result in widespread disruptions. The recent near-catastrophic collapse of the Texas energy grid because of a significant winter storm or the SolarWinds cyberattack that compromised private and public sector assets should serve as a clarion call that the status quo is not sustainable. These needs demand to be addressed before the cost of doing so becomes prohibitive. How to pay for this? The first and most understandable question is how to pay for this. The Biden administration has proposed increasing the corporate tax rate to 28% from 21%, but that already faces uncertain prospects in the Senate. We think that the optimal path would be to provide seed capital for a national infrastructure bank and then use the broad and deep American capital markets to leverage that to meet those needs. The optimal path would be for Congress to provide seed capital for a national infrastructure bank. Under this approach, Congress would provide $400 billion in seed capital next year, which the national infrastructure bank would then leverage up over the next 10 years to modernize I2R so it aligns with where the economy is heading and could achieve $4 trillion in net infrastructure investment. The national infrastructure bank could then take proceeds from the issuance of bonds to reinvest back into the development and innovation around future projects. This would be a legacy project that solves the issue of infrastructure once and for all. Given that the approach makes so much sense, it is also equally clear that it will probably not be done. What is more likely is a suboptimal approach that involves a mix of tax increases. What those tax hikes end up being is anyone’s guess. Beyond the increase in the corporate tax rate, a host of proposals have been floated, including an increase in the gasoline tax, user fees for roads, higher individual tax rates and a carbon capture tax. President Biden proposed during his campaign an increase in the marginal tax rate on those who earn above $400,000 annually from 37% to 39.6%, while simultaneously capping itemized deductions for individuals in that bracket at 28%. He continued next page 7
Worry?”) GCs need worry!
ast month we spoke about the most harmful in the insurance industry the CG 2294. `` My number 2 pick is Subsidence Earth Movement. DO YOU remember MAD Magazine, and Alfred E. Neuman (appearing on the covers since the 1950s accompanied by “What me
As with any exclusion or situation, there is a reason for its beginnings. The Texas construction defect ordeal, starting in California, and making its way to Texas, was responsible for this exclusionary attachment to home builders’ Commercial General Liability policies. Initially, the exclusion only applied to completed operations property damage and was limited to subsidence caused by foundation failures. Evolution is a severe and complete exclusion. Earth Movement (see below actual wording… I used italics to demonstrate the absolute, vague, all-encompassing verbiage) THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES THE POLICY. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. AMENDATORY ENDORSEMENT EARTH MOVEMENT EXCLUSION This endorsement modifies insurance provided under CGL COVERAGE FORM LIABILITY COVERAGE FORM (Note: See italics) This insurance does not apply to any “bodily injury” or any “property damage”, that is directly or indirectly caused by, involves, or is in any way connected or related to any movement of earth, whether naturally occurring or due to Movement man-made or other artificial causes. MOVEMENT includes, but is not limited to settlement, cracking, contraction, compaction, compression, consolidation, subsidence, shrinking, expansion, heaving, swelling, caving-in, erosion, vibration, shock, earthquake, landslide, mudflow, wind-driven, freezing, thawing or any other movement of earth, regardless of the cause. Earth includes, but is not limited to any dirt, soil, terrain, mud, silt, sediment, clay, rock, sand, fill material or any other substances or materials contained therein. WHAT ME WORRY? Since the exclusionary language is so broad, AND VAGUE, it is difficult to find coverage. Most companies have extended the subsidence exclusion into an “absolute earth movement exclusion” and no longer limit it to property damage or completed ops. Then, exactly What is Subsidence / Earth Movement? The definition of excluded earth movement in the CGL exclusions included shifting, expanding, rising, contracting, and sinking of earth, which can be combined with water or not. It is not just Earth. Here are the categories of earth movement by definition : 1. Rising: If the soil beneath your home bulges, heaves, or rises, it will cause damage to the house and its foundation. Too much water in the soil can cause it to expand. 2. Expansion: This is included as an additional exclusion because rising earth is not broad enough. They are similar; however, the rejection of the policy exclusion raises questions about the policy’s intent to exclude earth movement damages. 3. Shifting: This covers the potential lateral movements that will also cause massive damage to your home. 4. Contracting: Similar to earth contracting, but this seeks to broaden its exclusions, leaving no room for potential coverage. 5. Sinking –Excessive moisture in the soil can also cause it to expand is called sinking if the ground under your home settles and can result in erosion due to poor compaction or water when your home was built.
Excluded earth movement includes each direction where the earth can move and cause damage, which is not covered by an Earth movement also excludes other phenomenon, such as sinkhole, subsidence, landslide, earthquake, erosion, movement that results from improper compaction, mudflow, site selection, and others. Let’s ask Alfred E. Neuman What is the most common source of concern OF FEAR AMONG GCs? 1) There is no coverage for bodily injury resulting from a trench the denigration on an ongoing job. 2) Because the exclusionary language is so broad, it can apply to a wide range of situations…. Virtually countless scenarios fit the exclusion. 3) Any bodily injury or property damage caused by “earth movement” is not covered. 4) This exclusion may be, and likely is, included in the policy of subcontractors. What about Transfer of Risk? Transfer of Risk via signed sub-contractor by your subs, so you will be covered there…correct? Not as easy as one would think. The most important concept for a general contractor is risk transfer, which involves tendering claims downstream to the responsible party. Unfortunately, a good part of the subs’ policies will also have the subsidence exclusion this is a no go. All of the responsibility falls back on the GC, and there is no available coverage. Since it is likely excluded from most of the sub’s GL, it renders the principle of Transfer of Risk ….not likely. Can anything be done? • Discuss with your agent and verify by a 3rd party. • Ask for a policy without this exclusion as there may be a buy-back options. • Question everything with a relentless nature. Some options do not exclude this (proof being my customers do not have this exclusion in any of their policies. The main components of a comprehensive insurance program for any business, and especially contracting operations, begins with Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. This type of policy generally provides coverage in the event of bodily injury and/or property damage liability claims arising out of premises or products liability, and ongoing or completed operations exposures. While this type of policies name infers that it provides very broad (general) coverage, it does not cover everything and, often potentially include materially damaging exclusions and coverage limitations especially in a hardening market that we are now in - and often to the dismay of unsuspecting insureds who may rely on their agent to secure proper coverage to fit their specific operations. Final Thoughts — Earth movement is an inescapable risk that faces all home builders and homeowners. Never assume the information you received is correct. Read your policy carefully. Then, call your agent and question it. Ask your insurance company about buying back some of the excluded coverages if you are concerned about insufficient coverage. Brookstone Ins Group is an independent agency specializing in home builder / Construction insurance. We provide free, no obligation insurance reviews Next month: Continuous and Progressive exclusion which few agents understand and even fewer prospective customers.
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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OSHA
LEGAL Construction Contract Setoffs and the Texas Construction Trust Fund Act Thomas R. Treviño, Associate Peckar & Abramson, P.C. Austin, TX
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t is common for the same project owners, general contractors, and subcontractors to work with each other across multiple projects. When all goes well, everyone gets paid. But what happens when one project goes smoothly, and another is riddled with claims? This article provides an overview of contractual setoff provisions, the Construction Trust Fund Act, and the inherent conflict between the two. “Why would I pay you? You owe me.” A setoff clause, sometimes referred to as a cross-offset provision, permits an upstream party to withhold funds from its downstream contractor or subcontractor on one project if they’ve defaulted on another project. These setoff rights, created by contract, are designed to mitigate damages for upstream parties. Contractors and owners negotiate this language into their contracts and subcontracts to protect themselves from losses when contracting with the same party on multiple jobs. As the United States Supreme Court has noted, setoff provisions avoid the absurdity of making A pay B when B owes A. Citizens Bank of Md. v. Strumpf, 516 U.S. 16, 18 (1995). Typically, the party due to pay more (the buyer) seeks to include a contractual setoff provision to broaden their rights and protect against damages; the seller, on the other hand, generally attempts to negotiate setoff provisions out of a contract to entrench their payment rights. Setoff rights may generally be used as a self-help remedy or as a defense or counterclaim in a legal dispute. Most states have long allowed parties the freedom to negotiate setoff provisions to protect from mutual debts. While setoff rights seem intuitive, there are external factors in every jurisdiction that may limit or bar a contractor’s right of setoff. “But you owe me! It’s the law.” Many contractors are familiar with mechanisms like liens, bond claims, and prompt-pay statutes that protect the rights of (sub)contractors and service providers to payment for work performed. Several states (Texas, included) have created an additional protection to shield construction parties from nonpayment. The Texas Construction Trust Fund Act, codified in Chapter 162 of the Texas Property Code, provides that payments “made to a contractor or subcontractor... for the improvement of specific real property in this state” are held in trust for beneficiaries in the construction chain. The Texas legislature passed this Act specifically to protect unpaid subcontractors and materialmen when owners/contractors refuse payment. The Act imposes a fiduciary responsibility on upstream parties to ensure that downstream parties are paid for their completed work. The Act extends fiduciary responsibility (meaning the heightened responsibility of a trustee) and potential liability to owners, officers, and directors in their individual capacity to the extent they control and disperse the funds. This means that traditional corporate entity protections and company bankruptcy may not be available to an individual acting in this capacity. More important-
ly, however, violations of the Act can also give rise to criminal liability with penalties and jail time. These penalties are severe and obviously problematic for owners, officers, and directors of companies who direct and control these funds. To protect yourself and your company from these types of penalties, contractors and owners must keep comprehensive accounting of all funds received for a project and timely pay subcontractors and subcontractors should not rely solely on this Act as a safe-harbor means of payment protection. Owners, contractors, and subcontractors must be diligent in understanding their liabilities and obligations under this Act. So, who gets paid? While a contractor may believe a setoff provision provides an unfettered right for withholding payment from a subcontractor who is in default on a separate project, it is not that simple. Even when a subcontract includes a setoff provision, state laws, federal regulations, and the contract language must be considered before offsetting any payments. As more tribunals consider these questions, it is increasingly clear that states with construction trust fund statutes effectively limit or bar a contractor’s right to offset–––some more than others. States like Colorado have permitted certain setoff rights when the payment amount is disputed in good faith. See Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 38-22-127 (West). In some states, courts have interpreted trust fund statutes to effectively bar setoff provisions altogether. Meanwhile, Texas courts have not issued definitive guidance on the interplay between setoff provisions and the Act. Given the differences and uncertainties in the law on setoffs and the interplay between contract provisions and trust-fund statutes from one jurisdiction to another, it is important that parties take time to understand their payment rights and obligations in the jurisdiction where they perform work. Where Texas law applies, to protect yourself from civil (and possibly criminal) liability, it is prudent to understand your payment obligations under the Texas Construction Trust Fund Act and recognize that setoff provisions may no longer be enforceable or sufficient to guarantee payment. Thomas R. Treviño is an associate in the Austin office of Peckar & Abramson, P.C. He concentrates his practice on commercial construction litigation and dispute resolution and may be reached at: ttrevino@pecklaw.com.
OSHA Inspections Joann Natarajan Compliance Assistance Specialist OSHA Austin, TX
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SHA has jurisdiction over approximately 7 million worksites. The agency seeks to focus its inspection resources on the most hazardous workplaces in the following order of priority: 1. Imminent danger situations hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm receive top priority. 2. Severe injuries and illnesses employers must report work-related fatalities within 8 hours, and work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of an eye within 24 hours. 3. Worker Complaints allegations of hazards or violations also receive a high priority. Employees may request anonymity when they file complaints. 4. Referrals of hazards from other federal, state or local agencies, individuals, organizations or the media receive consideration for inspection. 5. Targeted inspections inspections aimed at specific high-hazard industries or individual workplaces that have experienced high rates of injuries and illnesses also receive priority. 6. Follow-up inspections checks for correction of violations cited during previous inspections are conducted by the agency in certain circumstances. Phone/Fax Investigations OSHA evaluates all complaints it receives based on their severity. For lowerpriority hazards, with permission of a complainant, OSHA may telephone the employer to describe hazards, following up with a fax providing details on the hazards. The employer must investigate and respond in writing within five working days. If the response is adequate and the complainant is satisfied with the response, OSHA generally will not conduct an on-site inspection. ON-SITE INSPECTIONS Preparation Prior to conducting an inspection, OSHA compliance officers research the inspection history of a worksite, and review the operations and processes in use.
Presentation of credentials An on-site inspection begins with the presentation of the compliance officer’s credentials. Opening Conference The compliance officer will explain why OSHA selected the workplace for inspection and describe the scope of the inspection, walkaround procedures, employee representation and employee interviews. The employer then selects a representative to accompany the compliance officer during the inspection. An authorized representative of the employees also has the right to accompany an inspector. The compliance officer will consult privately with employees during the inspection. Walkaround Following the opening conference, the compliance officer and the representatives will walk through the portions of the workplace covered by the inspection. The compliance officer will also review worksite injury and illness records and the posting of the official OSHA poster. During the walkaround, compliance officers may point out some apparent violations. Compliance officers try to minimize work interruptions during the inspection and will keep confidential any trade secrets observed. Closing Conference After the walkaround, the compliance officer holds a closing conference with the employer and the employee representatives to discuss the findings. The compliance officer discusses employer rights including an informal conference with OSHA or contesting citations and proposed penalties. The compliance officer also discusses consultation services and employee rights. natarajan.joann@dol.gov 512-374-0271 x232
continued from Page 6 — RSM US LLP
Is this politically doable? Just as difficult as financing the project will be garnering political support in a U.S. Senate that is controlled by Democrats under a 50-50 split. Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia, is thought to be the swing vote, and has indicated support for increasing the corporate tax rate to 25%. Moreover, without any significant GOP support, Democrats will need to use budget reconciliation to move this legislation, which suggests that they will have to raise substantial revenue to meet the requirements under the Byrd Rule that governs reconciliation. This implies that if revenues are raised to meet the requirements under reconciliation, then it would result in a drag on overall economic growth in 2022 and 2023.
has also proposed increasing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. It is equally clear that the Biden administration is somewhat hamstrung by a campaign promise not to raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000. Whatever the case, it is critical that policymakers take advantage of the negative real rate environment. Following the shock of the pandemic, the Federal Reserve implemented a series of policies that have resulted in extremely low interest rates. This presents the opportunity for long-term investment at negative inflation-adjusted interest rates. That is, the cost of newly issued debt will be paid in deflated dollars, resulting in investments that actually pay for themselves.
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Jessica Mitchell-Quintanar President/Owner Q-Safety Consultants San Antonio, TX
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rom living in Germany to living in Texas, from corporate America to working in the construction industry, Jessica Mitchell-Quintanar found her place keeping workers safe. The world of safety provides a sense of security, the likes of which she could have only dreamed of. Where were you born? I was born and raised in Germany. My dad was in the Air Force. He met mom while he was stationed in Germany. What was it like living in Germany? It was wonderful! With my dad being in the Air Force, we didn’t live in the same place very long. I spent most of my life on base. Everything I did was on base. My first job was on base working at Burger King. I worked bingo on base as well when I was 16. In the summers, my family sent me to Kentucky to spend time with my dad’s family. I would stay for six weeks and then go back to Germany. We would also come back to spend some Christmases in Kentucky. We traveled a lot – France, Spain, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Belgium – anywhere you could think of. We went everywhere. It was so nice to grow up there and see so many different cultures. I had a huge military influence. That was all we were surrounded by. I was the only one in my class in high school to have a drivers’ license at 16. That was pretty fabulous. Back then you could still do this - I would take my friends on base to eat Popeye’s Chicken. They thought Popeye’s Chicken was the best thing ever! When did you come to the United States? I moved to the United States when I was 20. I lived in Kentucky for a short while and then moved to Texas in 2004. I’ve been here ever since. What is the biggest difference between Germany and the United States? The pace in Germany is much slower. People work and they work hard. They get a minimum six weeks of vacation. If you
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
have a child, you get what they call mother vacation and you can stay home up to three years with your child with pay. The government pays you every month per child a bonus until they are 18. They are big on family, health and wellness. If you tell your doctor you’re experiencing burn-out, stress, anxiety or whatever, they will send you to what they call Kurort. Kurort is like a preventative medicine resort type place. It can be in the mountain, the beach, the black forest, or wherever. They send you there for six weeks where you’ll get massages, counseling, go on hikes and just regroup, and then you go back to work. The whole time, you’re getting paid. The food is very different in the sense that it is more organic. They don’t allow preservatives in their food. Pretty much all of Europe is like that, not just Germany. Europe is very strict when it comes to food and additives. Tell me about your dad. Outside of being in the Air Force, my dad was into fast cars. I learned at a really young age to take a motor apart and put it back together. We went to races all the time. Was your mom in the military? No. My mom was born and raised in Germany. She stayed there after my parents divorced. Even though my mom is in Germany, she and I talk every single day, no matter what. Are you an only child? Yes. It is just me, myself and I. Did you come to the United States with your family or did you come on your own? I came to the United States with my exhusband actually. He was in the Army at the time. He was from Texas and that is what brought me to Texas. When did you move to the states? I moved to United States on Sept. 10, 2001, the day before 9-11. I had no idea what was happening. I had literally just got on base at Fort Knox, which is the weapons depot of the Army. It was nuts! My dad, who was in Kentucky at that time, came and got me. I stayed with him for a couple of months because I just didn’t want to stay on base. I was terrified. I lived on Fort Knox for three years. What is the biggest difference between Kentucky and Texas? Green grass, trees, a lot of space and hills. You really do have a lot more space in Kentucky and it is very green and beautiful. Kentucky has two time zones. How did you and your current husband, Luis, meet? We met on the dance floor at a bar and grill in McAllen, TX in 2006. We have been together ever since. Do you have any children? Tell me about them. We have two children. Our daughter
The Quintanar family – L-R: Gabby, Elijah, Jessica and Luis
Gabby is 21 years old. She is attending Texas State University where she is majoring in psychology. She will be leaving in June for Hawaii to participate in an outreach program. Our son Elijah is 13. He is in middle school. He loves basketball and fishing. He wants to play in the NBA, but if not, he wants to be an attorney. He wants to be the next Thomas J. Henry. When did you start Q-Safety? We started Q-Safety in 2008 while we were still in McAllen. How did you and Luis come to start Q-Safety? We started Q-Safety out of our home in McAllen. After Luis was given the opportunity to become the safety guy for the company he was working for, he started traveling because a lot of companies needed a safety guy who spoke Spanish. In the beginning, it was primarily onsite training. Luis had gotten an offer in Austin to work with an online training company to develop their online OSHA training. When you see any online OSHA training, he helped develop that curriculum. That is what brought us to San Antonio. How has the company evolved? We were still doing a lot of on-site training but with him learning so much about the online training we started offering online training. Now with COVID, we are doing more and more online training. We now have an app now that clients can use to track their training, but they can also create their own in-house training. They can monitor it and track it. We offer OSHA training in a wide range of markets. We also offer train-the-trainer classes. As president of Q-Safety Consultants, what is your role? I concentrate more on business development and client relations. I see the ins and outs of the business. I also ensure that all of our compliances are in place and the paperwork is in order. What do you like best about your company? People don’t realize just how dangerous their job really is. Before I never looked
San Antonio
twice at a construction site and now, I can’t help but look. I really want to help people go home at the end of the day to their families with all of their bodies intact. Is it difficult working together, you and your husband? In the beginning is was a little difficult. There was a little bit of an adjustment period. I come from a strong corporate background whereas he did not. I’m very structured. He is more innovative. Now it is great. We actually work better here than we do at home. We can’t talk business at home. Here at the office, we bounce things off each other. It just works! I know your husband is bilingual, are you bilingual? German and English. I can understand Spanish and I can speak if I need to, but I am not comfortable enough with my Spanish to teach a class if I had to. How did you learn Spanish? I learned it living in the Valley. In Valley, the Spanish language is dominate. You have to know Spanish there to communicate. When I first moved down there, I worked in a bank. All of my clients spoke Spanish. Hardly anybody spoke English. I actually learned a lot of Spanish watching Novelas. Luis and his family all spoke Spanish when they were together. Over time, it just came. What do you like best about your company? People don’t realize just how dangerous their job really is. Before, I never looked twice at a construction site and now, I can’t help but look. I really want to help people go home at the end of the day to their families with all of their bodies intact. What does Jessica do to relax? I love going on walks and spending time with my family. If I learned anything from last year, it is that time is precious. We just got an RV and I really love the idea of taking the RV out to where ever and making memories with Luis and the kids. We love fish. I love to fish, but I don’t like touching the fish after they’re caught. As long as we are together, that is all the matters.-cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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Building in a changed world
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L-R: SBS President and Chairman Stephen Schiffman, and SBS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer David Morgan.
s the country begins to rebound from the pandemic, Select Building Systems, Inc., also known as SBS Construction, has maintained a steady flow of non-residential construction, giving credit to its repeat client base and outreach marketing efforts. “Although there have been challenges regarding the COVID 19 pandemic over the last year, the SBS executive team and support staff has worked diligently to keep all of our clients up to date and on track every step of the way,” says Ted Culbreth, Vice President Business Development. During every step of a project, this integrated and transparent communication practice helps to give an advantage to clients and SBS itself. SBS Construction is a design-build, development and project management construction company building for clients in Texas, Louisiana, and across the Midwest and Southeast. SBS surpassed its quarter-century milestone last July not only by forming long-lasting client relationships, but also by nurturing and leveraging those relationships. “Those bonds build strong and trusting relationships, and at SBS they aren’t taken for granted,” says David Morgan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We’ll build something for a client, and hopefully, we’ll build the next two, four, or six of their projects as well. Our projects are successful because we act on the feedback our clients give us.” The SBS Construction client base includes public and private markets. The construction team builds hospitals, schools, churches, light industrial and commercial developments such as office, warehouse, and flex space. SBS has continually built a reputation by providing exceptional, experienced expertise to clients in the single and multi-story selfstorage industry. SBS President and Chairman Stephen Schiffman estimates that about 75 percent of the company’s business is in climate-controlled self-storage facilities owned or managed by large national and regional developers. “Self-storage is a real estate investment with one of the highest returns around,” he says and at-
tracts a consistent number of developers. No matter the work category that the firm takes on, Schiffman and Morgan consider SBS to be primarily a team of business people working to help others, not merely a general contracting firm. “We approach construction projects with a business perspective,” Morgan says. “Our objective is to learn our clients’ businesses - how they operate and how they are successful. This way, the project comes back with what they need.” Founded on an expanse of industry knowledge collected over 25 years in business, SBS delivers added value to its clients through constant communication across the engineer, design, and construction teams. “We have a 35-page pro forma into which we can insert specific project costs. Then we can tell a client if the project’s worth building,” Schiffman says. The SBS team works tirelessly to save the client as much money and time as possible, while upholding quality production. “We’ve learned over the years that our clients will turn that saved money into other projects,” Morgan says. “So, we try to get them as many dollars in savings as we can.” Schiffman and Morgan founded the company in 1995 on a core set of values that continue to guide their daily management philosophy. SBS currently operates its main office in Boerne, TX and a regional office in Prairieville, LA. The SBS team has won numerous awards for its achievements in the Largest General Contractor and Top Commercial Building Contractor categories in the San Antonio Business Journal. Leadership at SBS takes pride in the company’s successes and is looking to keep the cycle of goodness going in 2021 by participating in many charity initiatives that give back to the community and support our brave troops. “This year, keep a look out for SBS Construction as construction continues to grow across our nation,” says Culbreth. “SBS is ready to offer a full range of siteto-finish services, including site evaluations, planning, project design, cost analysis, and value engineering.” -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
The Resource Guide Associations and Construction Education
Service Providers
Suppliers
Subcontractors
General Contractor
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fter high school, Alexander Barrett Scott didn’t like the idea of college and his dad told him to get a job. He started waiting tables, but his dad had something else in mind. He wanted him to find a career. “A friend of my dad was an electrician,” says Scott. “Down the street from his friend, a new company had just gotten started. I went to talk to them and got a job. That was around 2003/04 and I have been doing electrical work ever since.” Shortly after entering into the electrical trade, Scott learned he was a Type 1 diabetic, but didn’t let that slow him down. He worked his way up to superintendent in a large MEP contracting company. “I never took being a diabetic as serious as I should have. One day leaving a job site, I started seeing what looked like octopuses in my eye – just a whole bunch of black stuff. I slowly started losing the ability to see. It wasn’t really slowly. It was very quickly actually. My vision started to become very cloudy in that eye. I soon learned I have an eye condition called diabetic retinopathy. For the next two years I underwent about 20 eye surgeries/operations. The company I was working for wouldn’t take me back unless I was 100 percent.” After a couple of years of undergoing one surgery after another, Scott informed his employer that he was not 100 percent, but he was still able to work. “I could work. I had adapted to my vision. I just couldn’t drive,” Scott says. “Well, the company said no and I lost my job.” “I don’t need a blind cane or anything like that. I use light and magnification to see what I need to see. I tried to work for other companies that I had worked for but nobody wanted to take me.“
For Information on the Resource Guide Contact Buddy Doebbler buddy@ ConstructionNews.net 210-308-5800
Overcoming adversity
Phala Lee and Alexander Scott, co-owners of 3rd Rock Electrical Contractors
Scott was not going to let that stop him. He decided to pursue getting his Master License. “I used technology assistance to get some help to practice my masters tests. I practiced a whole bunch. I had to jump through a bunch of hoops to get special assistance through the state of board examiners so that I could have enlarged print due to my disability. I am legally blind due to my number of eye conditions and have limited field of vision.” Scott got his Master License and started 3rd Rock Electrical Contractors with business partner Phala Lee who drives Scott to his jobs. “Phala handles the office side of the business. She had been a bookkeeper her whole life. We have been rolling ever since,” adds Scott. Knowing Scott’s skill level and the quality of work he is capable of performing, friends of Scott that have started their own businesses began hiring Scott and 3rd Rock and the company started moving forward. “They knew what I could do. “ I do feel that I have a harder road than some because I can’t just hop in the truck and drive to get somewhere,” continues Scott. “That makes it a little more challenging but I have been doing this my whole life and have always been a problem solver.” Founded in Lockhart, 3rd Rock Electrical Contractors LLC is a full-service electrical company. This smalltown company has grown to serve customers throughout Central Texas. “We do all forms of electrical from service to remodels, new construction, residential, commercial and industrial. Anything electrical or anything with wire we can run, save data.” -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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regulations will affect inshore waters South of the JFK Causeway, including adjacent beachfronts from Packery Channel, down to the Rio Grande. My outlook for May finds me fishing more for redfish than for trout. Many of you know that for the 23 years that I have been guiding, I have primarily been a trout fisherman. Trout fishing in my opinion is far more exciting and somewhat challenging. Redfish in my box usually came by accident of luck except in the fall where we would target them more frequently. Ever since the freeze, I have been trying to hone my redfish skills and think outside the box, so if you have a trip booked with
me or are planning to book one in the near future, don’t be surprised if you see a box of menhaden or sardines in the floor of my boat. My fishing calendar is getting full fairly quickly, so don’t hesitate in booking your next fishing outing. Here are some dates in the next couple of months I’d like to fill. May 3rd and 18th, June 22nd and 28th and July 12, 16 and 19. To schedule your next bay fishing trip or hunting trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or e-mail me at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: @Steve_Schultz_ Outdoors. Good Luck and Good Fishing.
John Houston and Roland Garcia teamed up on a couple of drag burners.
The Struggles with Fishing Post Freeze by Capt. Steve Schultz Sponsored by: Waypoint Marine/Waypoint Customs, Shoalwater Boats, Mercury Marine, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Shimano Reels, E-Z Bel Construction, Costa Sunglasses, Simms Fishing, ForEverlast Fishing Products, PowerPro, Interstate Batteries, MirrOlure, JL Marines Power-Pole, AFW and AFTCO Clothing.
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ell, it seems mother nature is hanging on to winter just a little bit longer than expected. For the month of April, we are seeing cool mornings with north winds more than expected. Foggy and hazy days have been the norm for most of the month with few sunny days in between. I’m usually pretty upbeat. However, these grey gloomy days depress me. I’m ready to fish on some hot summer days. Since my last article, we started seeing some fish moving in different areas of the bay system. Black drum and redfish have been our main targets with clients while we try and give speckled trout a breakthrough the 1st spawning period. It’s very apparent that trout were hit the hardest during the freeze. Some days we see little activity on trout, and other days we don’t even see one in the boat. For the most part most of the guides have been catch and release on trout until we see what comes in from the gulf with our spring tides. Every year, during April and May, we see a bait migration come through the Landcut via the Port Mansfield jetties. Behind this migration will be an influx of speckled trout, reds, skipjack etc… These specks are very noticeable because of their yellow mouths and strong stout bodies. Also, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TP&W) usually preform their gill net survey during April, so hopefully they will give us some insight to what kind of numbers we have in our bay system. Also, for those of you they have not heard the changes in the trout regulations, here’s what TP&W has imposed. The current statewide speckled trout regulations are a five fish daily bag limit and 15-25 inch slot limit with the ability to keep one fish over 25 inches long. The temporary Laguna Madre regulations will drop the daily bag to three fish and the slot limit to 17-23 inches. The Laguna Madre
John fought his jack caravel for 25 minutes before getting to the boat.
Roland Garcia’s red was not as fisty but was still a hand full on our light tackle. Both gentlemen were on an outing with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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
Blown Away!
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nough already! What a windy spring we are having this year! If a cold front is on the way, the wind blows for all its worth from the south in a big rush to meet it. Once the cold front arrives, it blows like mad from the north like its trying to send all that stolen wind back home! Right now it sounds like a jumbo jet is about to land on the roof. I look out to the beach to check on a newly hatched bunch of goslings, just in time to see a gust of wind swoosh one of the babies from under momma goose’s sheltering wing and send it tumbling. Welcome to spring in Texas little guy! Wind is truly a force that we all must learn to adapt to. If you wash your car today, the wind will happily coat it in oak pollen by drive time in the morning. What you tied down for a south wind today will be rattling at the end of its tether or just plain gone when the north wind hits. If it tries to rain, the wind will blow it around until it finally evaporates or worse
still, storm wind tosses it around until it forms lumpy destructive hail. It makes us have to decide what to drive, haul and work on because it definitely stirs us up! For charter fishermen the wind is a mixed blessing. A light moderate wind is just what we need to catch fish. A mean high wind makes us cancel trips that people have been waiting weeks to go on. We hate to disappoint, and it costs us lost income, but we hate it worse if we end up facing downtime to get bow rails and ttops rewelded and transducers and trolling motor brackets repaired, not to mention that people can get hurt too. When your guide tells you that you need to reschedule your trip due to wind, he is not challenging how tough you are. He’s telling you that you won’t be able to reel a fish while you are holding onto the bow rail to stay in the boat! Maybe the most trying wind of all is the “wait and see” wind. If the weather forecasts are calling for conflicting weath-
er outcomes, sometimes it is best to just keep in touch with your guide until near trip time so we can see what kind of day we end up with. There are days you can catch fish like crazy just before a wind shift. There are also days when no fish will be caught because a front has driven the pressure too high for the fish to want to
feed. It is all about the timing. The best thing to do is trust your fishing guide and take his advice. He wants to go fishing too. He wants you to take home a good mess of fish, some nice pictures and lots of good memories. For now, just tie your hat on your head and wait for it to pass! Then it will get hot!
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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Rocks, what rocks?
Noto, CEO of Quality Fence & Welding, had a little too much fun recently when he and his wife, Teresa, visited Wolf Caves in Mason, TX with a group of friends. Craig Apparently, when Noto gets behind the wheel of his jeep, there is no such thing as climbing rocks the conventional way. But then again, maybe he wasn’t supposed to? -cmw
Craig Noto climbs the Wolf Caves rocks
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Craig & Teresa Noto
Hooked on fishing
etting out on the water is what Juan Barboza Jr., co-owner of Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC, loves to do to relax. Now that his son, Luke Barboza, is old enough, he couldn’t wait to get his son out on the water with him. On Mar. 27, that is exactly what Barboza did. For Barboza, taking 3-year-old Luke on his first fishing trip was a dream come true. Barboza has been waiting for this day since his son was born.
Barboza took young Luke fishing in Rockport where Luke became hooked on the art of fishing. “He is just big enough to hold the rod,” says Barboza. “I wanted to get him on the water at the age of three. This is Luke’s first time on a boat and his first time fishing. He hooked his fish and he reeled it in. He struggled a little bit, but he’s a natural. He’s already told me that for his next birthday he wants to go fishing. He doesn’t want a party.” -cmw
Luke didn’t stop at just one fish. He caught this little drum. It safe to say by the look on his face – Luke is hooked on fishing.
Three-year-old, Luke Barboza shows his “Grr face” after hooking this 27-inch red which he reeled in by himself.
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
San Antonio International Airport - Ground Support Electrification (GSE)
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n 2012, Congress created a program allowing FAA to issue Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants for airport-owned zero emission vehicles. The FAA’s Airport Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) and Infrastructure Pilot Program allows airports that are eligible for AIP grants to purchase zeroemissions airport vehicles and the infra-
structure required to operate them. San Antonio International Airport received a $2.3M grant to install 64 Electric Ground Support Vehicle Charging Ports and Rural Electric was chosen to provide and install the Charging Stations. Delta, United, Southwest Airlines and UPS all received charging stations to support their
Southwest Airlines electric ground support vehicle charging ports
Closeup photos of charging ports
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Electric Ground Support Equipment. This project was completed in October of 2020. Regardless of the limitations due to the COVID pandemic, Rural Electric completed this project four months early. Our dedicated team, in partnership with Averest Inc., who provided the Webasto Charging Equipment, worked
closely together providing the newest technology for zero-emissions equipment charging. Rural Electric, Inc. is a general and electrical contracting company with operations based in Arizona and Texas. -cmw Rural Electric, Inc. San Antonio, TX
United Airlines electric ground support vehicle charging ports
4 UPS electric ground support vehicle charging ports
Delta Airlines electric ground support vehicle charging ports
Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center
ndeavors is helping veterans face challenges with a new, first-ofits-kind Veterans Wellness Center. With Texas having such a large Veteran population, this facility is a necessity to keep our Veterans wellness a priority post military life. This project consists of the renovation of an existing retail space into a new clinic and the addition of a new twostory structural steel health and wellness facility. This 30,000-sf facility will soon provide veterans and their families with integrated health services. These services will include mental health, physical health, holistic health, wellness education and supportive services to improve their quality of life, as well as the quality of life for their families, military dependents and the care community. These supportive groups
Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center
range from client educational classes, peer support, volunteer opportunities, drop-in childcare, and suicide prevention and awareness. These groups are imperative to our veterans because maintaining healthy habits after leaving the military can be difficult. Endeavors is a great organization with an incredible mission. The pandemic created many challenges, but our team worked extremely hard to make sure this project was a success. “It was an honor for F.A. Nunnelly to be a part of such an amazing project,” said F.A. Nunnelly President Blaine Beckman. F.A. Nunnelly is a full-service general contractor in San Antonio. -cmw
Aerial view – Endeavors Veteran Wellness Center
F.A. Nunnelly San Antonio, TX
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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State hospital improvements
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revailing an eventful year, Robinson General Contractors Inc. is winding down construction at the San Antonio State Hospital. After calling San Antonio home for 10 years, this may have been our most challenging one yet. Overcoming many obstacles such as the delay on materials due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Texas snowstorm. The project included three separate contracts. The
Removal of existing windows
first was for the construction of two new parking lots to accommodate for the expansion of the state hospital and the growth of the administration building and nursing staff. The second project was the anti-ligature hardware installation in the hospital plaza buildings, which included updating the existing door hardware to secure behavioral hardware by Securitech Group Inc. These buildings are the first to have these brandnew Solis handles installed. They meet the new safety regulations established by the Health and Human Services Commission for psychiatric institutions. The third project is located at the State Supported Living Center, which is part of the state hospital grounds. This project included the painting of multiple buildings, the reconstruction of an existing cedar pergola, and the installation of a new glass storefront and one hundred and ninety-eight inch high efficient windows which meet those new safety regulations. The original fully welded metal frame windows will be upgraded to the new well-insulated windows. Robinson General Contractors, Inc. is in the home stretch of completing this project with only twentyfive windows remaining to be installed. Our team worked closely during the COVID-19 Pandemic with the Health and Human Services Project Management
and the State Hospital Maintenance Department. This collaboration enabled this project to be scheduled to be completed by the end of April. Robinson General Contractors is a full-service general contractors located in San Antonio. -cmw
New parking lot under construction
New parking lot after construction
New high-efficient windows
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Robinson General Contractors San Antonio, TX
Installation of double shade canopy with metal handrails at building 671 of the State Supported Living Center.
Brookwood Senior Apartments
rookwood Senior Apartments is a new affordable senior living development in the West-over Hills area of San Antonio that boasts gorgeous units and a clubhouse area with various amenities. With 35 years of experience building senior living projects in Central Texas, Cadence McShane Construction Company was contracted by Mission DG in early 2018 to build the four-story, 198-unit development. The scope for Brookwood extended beyond that of a typical senior living development to include a 10,000sf banquet area, salons, a fitness center, and a pool. Additionally, the residence incorporates high-end unit features including upper-tier flooring, level 6 granite, and stainless steel appliances. Throughout the construction process, Cadence McShane worked closely with both the owner and the architect, B&A Architects, to minimize plan discrepancies, provide cost-saving solutions, and keep progress moving forward. Cadence McShane took a unique approach to the construction of the pool. As a safety measure for all employees on site, the pool was constructed in the
Brookwood Senior Apartments
courtyard after the building was erected and framed. The team strengthened the slab to ensure it could withstand the weight of equipment, and routed the equipment through the building, rather than hoisting materials over the building. Construction of Brookwood Senior Apartments was
The pool at Brookwood Senior Apartments
financed through funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The approach for HUD-financed projects differs from traditionally funded developments and requires an increased level of quality control. However, as a seasoned HUD contractor, Cadence McShane was keenly aware of the support needed from the general contractor and helped the process run smoothly. The final product of Brookwood Senior Apartments reflects innovation and creativity, and the durable, high-quality materials used throughout the development will serve residents in the community for many years to come. Cadence McShane is proud to have served as the general contractor on this award-winning project that provides needed affordable housing for San Antonio seniors. Cadence McShane Construction Company is a full-service general contractor specializing in pre-construction, construction management at risk, design-build, design-assist and general construction. -cmw Cadence McShane Construction Company San Antonio, TX
Brookwood Senior Apartments common area
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n Mar. 22, members of the San Antonio Chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC) and the construction industry enjoyed a great day of golf at the Chapter’s Annual Spring Golf Tournament. The event was held at Sonterra Country Club where over 288 golfers filled both of Sonterra’s North and South Courses for a sold out tournament. While everyone had a wonderful time, no one was more excited than Chris Chafee. Chafee hit the Hole-
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
Golfing at last In-One on the North course. Photos courtesy of Mary C. Haskin Photography. -cmw North Course winners: 2nd Place Net: Jaime Amoretti, Clint Wurzbach, Aaron Hawley and Craig Noto 3rd Place Net: Chris Tiemann, Esteban Rodriguez, Justin Nelson and Ernest Villanueva Longest Drive: David Musch Closest to Pin: Eddie Martz Hole-In-One Winner: Chris Chafee
1st Place Net North Course: Mike Sireno, Tom Smith, Jacob Sireno and David Wingrove
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tarting out as ranchers, Jack and Bill Johnson started a legacy that anyone would be proud of. By the early ‘40s, they began working their way into roofing. In 1941, hauling roofing shingles in a horse trailer, the Johnson brothers started JOHNSON ROOFING in Robinson, TX. Today, JOHNSON ROOFING is one of the largest roofing contractors in Texas. Celebrating the company’s 80 years in business, President and CEO of JOHNSON ROOFING, Sherri Johnson is setting the foundation for the next 80 years. Sherri Johnson is the third generation in her family to head up the family-owned business. With Sherri’s keen eye, she is leading the company into a new era of roofing. Embracing technological changes, placing an increased emphasis on training, and stronger efficiencies in project management, the company is realizing more success than ever. Kicking off 80 years in business, JOHNSON ROOFING begins by opening a satellite office in San Antonio. Regional Manager Tyler Landry oversees the new San Antonio branch along with Nathan Heiman. The San Antonio branch is well underway establishing a quality
South Course winners: 1st Place Gross: Matthew Rivera, Dominic Hamilton, Danny Guerra and Jeremy Doege 2nd Place Net: Willie Nelson, Mike Baird, Jeff Beyer and Luke Legrand 3rd Place Net: Matt Bettis, Dustin Hargrave, Jose Quintanilla and Wyatt Blezinger Longest Drive: Peter Surley Closest to Pin: Luke Legrand 1st Place Gross North Course: Craig Jendrusch, Jeff Smith, Justin McNeil and Adam Matthys
1st Place Net South Course: Ronnie Moroz, Mike King, Earl Ingram and Rocky Shoffstall
AGC Golf Committee
Ranching to roofing
JOHNSON ROOFING team members L-R: Tyler Landry, Matt Landry and Nathan Heiman
sales and production team. “We are a Christian-based company. Our corporate office is out of Waco in Robinson, TX. The Johnson family built the business around their family ranch,” says Landry. “As you drive in down a ca-
liche road, you’ll see buffalo on the right and horses on the left.” The San Antonio location will service Central Texas to Rio Grande Valley. “We will be concentrating our services to Austin, San Antonio and all the way
down to McAllen,” adds Landry. “Sherri’s idea and goal is to expand the business and grow the JOHNSON ROOFING name. That’s what we are doing.” Cultivating strong relationships with their customers and their roofing team continues to remain a priority for the Johnson family. “Our sincere commitment to serve the needs of our customers has helped cement our reputation as a premier roofing contractor. We are proud of our hardworking roofing team because the truth is: a roofing contractor is only as good as the skill of the team who actually installs your roof. Our highly trained, experienced roofing technicians and sheet metal mechanics are dedicated to pursuing excellence,” says Sherri. JOHNSON ROOFING performs work all over Texas. The company is fully insured to protect their customers. Their installers receive ongoing training from manufacturers’ seminars to safety programs to the latest products, techniques and skills, and are able to install any type of roofing system. JOHNSON ROOFING is a full-service roofing company. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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Industry FOLKS
Eagle comes home
Felix Montoya
Construction Manager
Dausin Electric San Antonio, TX
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rowing up in Floresville was awesome for Felix Montoya where he was born and raised. “I loved the small-town feel, where everyone knows everyone.” Montoya attended and graduated from Floresville High School. After graduating from high school, he chose not to attend college and had something else in mind. Montoya enlisted and served in the U.S. Navy. There he participated in the Navy’s electrical program which laid the groundwork for a career in the electrical trade after serving his country. “Working in the electrical trade has always been a skill I was interest in growing up. I always knew I wanted to be an electrician.” Montoya has been married for 22 years to his beautiful wife, Mari. They met in Dallas, TX. “Mari loves helping others. She enjoys gardening and antique shopping. Most importantly, Mari loves being a mother to our four children. “Our oldest son, Carlos, is 25. He is currently serving in the U.S. Army. Our oldest daughter, Shania, is 22 and works for the Northside Independent School District (NISD). She enjoys exercise and anything related to football. Shania loves to read and enjoys traveling. Nick, our youngest son, is 20 years old and is in college. Nick enjoys the outdoors riding his bike or skateboard. He also enjoys writing and collaborating his own music with friends. Our baby, Penelope, is 18 a senior in high school. She enjoys baking and cooking for the family and is pursuing culinary school after graduation.”
Montoya and his family have two dogs. Bear is a Chow mix and loves going for walks in the park. His favorite thing is chasing squirrels. Coco is a Cane Corso. She is very loving and loves a good head massage. She is very active and also loves the outdoors. Montoya came to work in the construction industry after serving his time in the military. His experience in the Navy and the Navy’s electrical program secured him a good job in the trade he wanted. As construction manager for Dausin Electric, Montoya oversees all of Dausin’s construction projects including manpower and resources. “What I like best about my job is the relationship you establish between customers and personnel. I love seeing the end result of a happy customer and the collaboration between everyone involved.” When it comes time to relax, Montoya enjoys fishing and hunting. He also enjoys going back to his ranch in Floresville. There, he likes to spend his time grilling BBQ for his family and friends. “I find it relaxing going out there enjoying nature, feeding the deer and working on the land that in the future, I will build a home for my wife and I to enjoy the later part of our years together.” -cmw
Construction News ON LOCATION
The work day begins
The Levy Company’s (L-R) Ricardo Uribe, Nathan Leal and Foreman Derrick Kendrick head out to perform work on the Bexar Co. Sign Replacement Project which at various locations throughout the TxDOT San Antonio District. -cmw
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In memoriam
ilbert Lee Hengst passed away Jan. 29, 2021 at the age of 70. He was born in Victoria, TX on Oct. 13, 1950 to the late Roland Gilbert Hengst and Florence Ledwig Hengst. Gilbert’s career began at 10 years old, driving a truck in Arizona for his father. It was also in Arizona where he started East Valley Drywall Systems. Later, as his experience grew, his work took him from one end of the United States to the other, including stops in Las Vegas, NV where he worked on the MGM Grand Hotel, Virginia and Florida. Most recently he worked as a foreman for MK Marlow Company in Texas.
He loved his job and his deep passion for his craft was evident each and every day in all that he touched. A well-respected man, Gilbert was not shy about telling people when they weren’t making sense or needed to think about something in a different way on a job site. The perfectionist in him made certain he never shied from long days to make sure the job was done right. He was a loyal friend and co-worker who loved Mexican food and a cold beer. Gilbert’s hardworking nature and love of his job lives on in his children and grandchildren. He will be dearly missed by so many, including all of his work family. -cmw
SpawGlass Contractors Project Manager Robert Lozano accepts the ABC National Eagle Award at the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) National Convention for their work on the Capitol Park Little League Complex project in the Special Projects, Up to $10 Million category. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
Association Calendar
Content Contentsubmitted submittedby byAssociations Associationsto toConstruction ConstructionNews News ABC
Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.
May 13: May Whiskey Festival, Rebecca Creek Distillery, 26605 Bulverde Rd., Bulverde, TX, 4-6:30pm. For more info, contact Leah Villarreal at leah@abcsouthtexas.org or 210-342-1994
512-263-5521 or email Carla bingaman@ i-lincp.org MCA-SMACNA of San Antonio Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors Assn.
Associated General Contractors
May 12: Regular & Associates Meeting, The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels, 7th Flr., 11:30am May 29: Joint Industry Fund Meeting, MCA-SMACNA Office, 206 E. Nakoma, 11:30am. For more info, call Sandee Morgan at 210-822-3763 or email sandee@ mca-smacna.org
ASA
National Assn. of Women in Construction
AGC
May 14: Fun Shoot and Mixer, National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Rd., $175 Per Shooter, 10:30am Registration, Flight Time 12pm. For info, call Kelly Wilson at 210-349-4921 American Subcontractors Assn.
May 4: Safety Stand Down, ASA Office, 13333 Blanco Rd., 10-11:30am May 7: Subfest & BBQ Cook-off, Helotes Fairgrounds, 12210 Leslie Rd., 3:30-8pm. For info, call Jennifer Swinney at 210-349-2105 ASSP
American Society of Safety Professionals
May 17: Regular Chapter Meeting, Southwest Research Institute (SWRI), 6220 Culebra Rd. For more info, go to www.southtexas.assp.org CFMA
Construction Financial Management Assn.
May. 14: 18th Annual Golf Tournament, Canyon Springs Golf Club, 24405 Wilderness Oak, 7am-3pm. For more info, email cfmasatx.gmail.com
NAWIC May 5: Industry Appreciation Night – Cinco de Mayo Awards & Recognition Fiesta, Alamo Café, 14250 San Pedro Ave., 6pm, 25ppl limit, Over 25 Zoom. $40 in Person go to www.nawicsatx.org/events. Zoom Free. For Zoom information go to www.nawicsatx.org. For more info, contact Heather Osborn at 210-216-9676 or email heather@memcostaffing.com PHCC Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors
May 13: 8th Annual Spring Golf Tournament, Brackenridge Park Golf Club, 7am Breakfast/Registration, 8am Shotgun Start, $150 Per Golfer, $600 Per Team, $175 Grand Slam Golfer, $700 Grand Slam Team. For more info, call Heidi Trimble at 210-824-7422 or go to www.phcc-sanantonio.org
GSABA Greater San Antonio Builders Assn.
May 22-31: 2021 Parade of Homes, Belle Oaks. For info, email info@SABuilders.com HCA de SA
SAMCA San Antonio Masonry Contractors Assn.
May 27: Golden Trowel Awards, Magnolia Halle, 10319 Huebner Rd. For info, email Debi Solis at thesamca@gmail.com.
Hispanic Contractors Assn. of San Antonio
May 11: Capacity Development Series Module 8 Bidding, Proposals, Estimating & Job Costing via Zoom 12-2pm May 19: Monthly Member Meeting/Mixer Location & Presentation TBD Presentation TBD, 5:30-7:00pm May 21-22: Tres Amigos Fishing Tournament, Rockport Texas May 25: Capacity Development Series Module 9 Safety & Health via Zoom 12-2pm IEC Independent Electrical Contractors
May 21: 13th Annual Fun Shoot, San Antonio Gun Club, 928 E. Contour, 1-6pm. Only pre-registered shooters allowed – no walk-ins. For more info, contact Julie Tucker at 210-431-9861 or email jtucker@ iecsanantonio.com
TACCA
Texas Air Conditioning Contractors Assn. Greater San Antonio
May 26: 2021 Sporting Clay Shoot, National Shooting Complex, 5931 Roft Rd., For more info, call Dawn Thompson at 210-901-4222 TGA
Texas Glass Assn.
May 19: TGA Jerry Wright Memorial Golf Tournament, SilverHorn Golf Club of Texas, 1100 W. Bitters, San Antonio, TX. Registration 12pm., Shotgun Start 1:30pm., $115 Member, $135 Non-member. May 20-21: Glass TEXpo™ ’21, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, For more info, visit www.texasglass.org
I-LinCP
Institute for Leadership in Capital Projects
May 14: I-LinCP Forum Virtual Event. For more info, contact Carla Bingaman at
Breaking ground
Koontz Corporation broke ground on the construction of The Moderno, a Class A apartment complex community in New Braunfels. Phase 1 of the two-phase project consists of a 10-building complex totaling 253,000sf comprised of 280 apartment homes. Fifty-five percent of the residences in Phase I will feature one bedroom and one bath, and 45 percent will feature two bedrooms and two baths. All residences will boast Class A finishes. Phase 1 is scheduled to open March 2022. -cmw
continued from Page 1 — Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC the most importance factor and that is quality. Barboza & Son’s strives on quality production. I figured, if I could do something on a small scale and turn a quality project over to the owner every time, I knew we could make it happen,” Barboza says. “We had a vision, good connections, good contacts and a great team. Contractors and people from our community who we had worked with in the past and most importantly they knew we wanted to work hard and bring growth. Local contractors, local businesses and people with the need of quality work for their hard earned money all gave us a shot and an opportunity, and they have been happy with our production. They are big part of our growth. They have been helping us grow. “I’ve always had a passion for concrete,” says Barboza III. “It’s the passion to see something from nothing come up out of the ground. You must have a good foundation for anything to stand, work and continue standing for generations to come. If the foundation is right, the next guy is not going to have any problems. We thrive to have a good, square foundation.” While Barboza Jr. runs the field operations, Barboza III runs the day-to-day operations. “Any field decisions that are made, I know he is going to make the right decision,” says the younger Barboza. “Anything that I have to do in the office, he knows I’ll handle it. Not only am I a concrete contractor that can read your typical concrete drawings, I’ve also ran them on
the general contracting side. I know all the internals of MEP and everything that comes with it. We help some of our contractors when we come in and when we find issues that might affect them because I’ve been in their place.” Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC is a family-owned and operated business specializing in commercial, high-end residential and residential work. ”Every year we set goals for ourselves and try to hit every goal. It is all about prayer and faith for me. Most recently, we expanded into multifamily concrete work,” states Barboza. Playing it smart is the steady goal for Barboza & Sons which eventually plans to be a tilt-wall contractor. ”My goal right now, my future goal, is to be a vertical, tiltwall contractor. But I don’t want to do that now. I feel there is a time and place for it. And right now, for liability purposes and so forth, we are not there yet. I know we could be there, but I want to see where we are in the next two to three years. At the end of the day, it is about turning over a good quality product to the owner.” For any company, hitting your fiveyear anniversary is a milestone to be celebrated but Barboza & Sons would rather concentrate on their customers and providing quality work. “We don’t like to talk about what we can do, we want to show you what we can do and let our work speak for itself. Give us an opportunity. “ Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC is a concrete contractor in San Antonio. -cmw
continued from Page 1 — GD Interior Construction software and no more faxing. People were still faxing here.“ Over time, Lindsey had to hire new people. The only original employee from the days her dad was still around is Tony Lorea, GD’s delivery driver. “There hasn’t been much turnover since then. They’ve all stayed. It’s been so nice. We have a really, really good team,” Lindsey says. “I started July 1, the day after my dad passed away. Angel Robles, our estimator, started the next week. Then we brought in Carlos Martinez, our project manager from the field. Paul is our superintendent. He was moving down to San Antonio. He was working for another drywall company around Temple and in and around the Valley. We hired him in 2015, a year after my dad passed away. You don’t find good drywall superintendents around every corner. I wanted to hire drywall people. I didn’t want to hire people who just had some experience in this and that. I wanted people who had real experience. People who had been doing this since they were in high school.“ When Lindsey took over, she realized she didn’t know how to build a wall. She didn’t know sheetrock and she didn’t know anything about putting in a ceiling. Through mentors, she learned to
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concentrate on running the company. “I had to learn a lot and I’m still learning,” Lindsey says. “I took full advantage of several programs geared to helping women, minorities, veterans, etc. with their business. I got involved in a twoyear mentor program through AGC and Bexar County. It was phenomenal. The city of San Antonio and Alamo colleges had one and I did that program as well. I had no shame in asking for help. “There was something else guiding this because there is no way I could have done this on my own. The outside help, help from the team and the people we are working with, it’s bigger than me or my dad or anything. It’s the collective energy. We are all working really hard, wanting to do a good job and we want to keep on doing it.” Realizing the company is celebrating 40 years this year is a bit overwhelming for Lindsey. “I wish my dad was here. I know he was waiting for the 40 years. He always said he was going to retire at 40 years. I don’t know what he would have done with the business but that is what he always said. He would have been 71 this year. Who knows if he really would have retired.” GD Interior Construction is a commercial framing and drywall contractor. -cmw
Making room for growth
ed Hawk Contracting hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for Quality Fasteners’ new 30,000sf footprint facility. “The new facility will feature tiltwall construction,” says Red Hawk Presi dent Desi Valdez. “It will have a 5,200sf mezzanine, 12,000-plus-sf of office and retail space with warehouse space making up the remainder of the space.”
“The project is expected to be completed in late September,” says Quality Fastener Owner and President Larry Matula. “We’ve been in our other facility for 33 years and outgrew it several years ago. We’re extremely excited about what we can do for the community and the city in the future.” -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
Page 19
What would be a good On The Spot question to ask our readers? How did you do spend your spring break last year? Joey Suarez, A&A Plumbing How has COVID-19 effected your business? Scott Krueger, Choate USA What is your favorite go-to food for ordering in? Since the mandate has been lifted, are you still ordering out or going in? James Velasquez, Raba-Kistner Consultants Inc. What do you see being the long-term shifts in construction from COVID? Corey Magin, Metropolitan Contracting Looking back at 2020, how would you describe it? Drew Addison, IBTX What are you looking for? We are all looking for somebody. We are a GC and we are looking for subs. Subs are looking for GCs. Amy Bricker, Alpha Building Corporation What is your favorite chili recipe? Beans or no beans? Josh Jones, Intertech Flooring What is your favorite childhood memory? Who is your hero that got you where you are at today? Tyler Landry, Johnson Roofing What did you do good for another person today? Something as simple as open the door for someone or just say “thank you.” Melanie Huckle, MK Marlow Acoustics & Drywall When it comes to renting equipment or bidding on a project, what is important to you? Is it price? Is it reliability? Is it doing what you say you are going to do? Is it avails
ability? Is it service? Technology? Zac Patrick, Equipment Share Where are you going on Christmas break? Lori Green, IBTX What is your favorite vacation spot? Rob Crow, Alpha Building Corporation Do you like being put “On The Spot?” Alexander Barrett Scott, 3rd Rock Electrical Contractors What is your dream vacation destination spot? Lindsey Sutherland, G.D. Interior Construction What do you do to decompress? Juan Barboza, Barboza & Sons Contracting LLC
If you weren’t doing what you are doing, what would you be doing? Derek Withoff, Alpine Contracting
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erry Ennis went to be with his Lord and Savior on Apr. 20. He was an amazing man, loving husband, father and mentor. Jerry was a part of the Gillette Air Conditioning Co. Inc. family since 1980 (41 years). He retired in 2011 as Construction Manager. We will miss him. Jerry is Interred at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. -cmw
What is your favorite pastime? Crystal Delbosque Gomez, SBS Construction What do you think you have learned out of the past year’s challenges? Judy Zimmerman, RVK Architecture What are you doing to make a positive impact on the community? Glenn Roblin, Woolsey Design Build
Dunaway Associates LLC is pleased to announce the following additions to their team: Nolan Woyner, PE is Lauren Setterbo is the newest member the newest addition of the firm’s San Antoto their Central Texas nio team as an Associteam. Setterbo, previate. He has served as a ously with local office Discipline Lead in Duof Cardno, now known naway’s structural deas IMEG, brings with partment in Austin for her over a decade of six years, where he marketing and business development experience within the has managed a variety of projects across engineering industry. In her role as Busi- multiple market sectors. In addition to his ness Development Director, Setterbo will management responsibilities, Nolan proserve to enhance the firm’s presence in vides structural design, analysis, and conSan Antonio, where she is currently the struction administration services for projPresident of SMPS’ San Antonio chapter. ects located in Central Texas and beyond. -cmw -cmw
Submissions
In memoriam
What are you looking forward to doing the most now that everything is opened back up? Brandon Herrera, Central Builders Inc.
Round-Up
Round-Up
The Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) introduced their 2021 board of directors recently. Front Row L-R: Executive board members – Vice President Colton Bolin, Boling Plumbing; Treasurer Sherill Stanush, S&S Plumbing Contractors; President Patricia Ramirez, A-Ram Plumbing; and Secretary Keith Brunner, Primo Plumbing. Back Row L-R: Jake Allen, PEPCO Sales; Sarah Chambliss-Dove, Chambliss Plumbing; Sam Shilling-Gonzales, Will’s Plumbing & Testing; Lisa Casarez, United Water Restoration; Angie Gonzales, JR’s Plumbing; Jason Stewart, Stewart Plumbing; and Troy Baird, BacFlo Unlimited (not pictured). -cmw
Cowboys vs Texans ? Who is your favorite team and why? Pat Lowry, Trench Plate Rental Co.
Submitted to Construction News
Todd Henderson joins Ref-Chem L.P. as Director of Transmission and Distribution. Henderson brings more than 25 years of experience to his role, serving in positions ranging from lineman to construction executive. In the disciplines of high-voltage transmission, distribution, substation and civil construction, Henderson specializes in planning and execution of projects greater than $100 million and programs exceeding $500 million. –mjm
Leadership announced
RVK Architecture is pleased to announce the promotion of Tony Luetkenhaus to Associate Principal. Luetkenhaus earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2000 and became a Registered Architect in 2020. He has been with RVK for over 20 years and has contributed to numerous projects including the First Baptist Church of Marble Falls, IDEA Toros Academy, Oak Hills Church, Beyer Boys Headquarters, and Cibolo Fire Station #3. -cmw
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Golf anyone?
t was a beautiful day for a good round of golf and the members of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) could not have been more pleased. Hosting their annual spring golf tournament at The Golf Club of Texas on Apr. 8 proved to be an event worth waiting for after months and months of COVID regulations. ASA members and their guests enjoyed a beautiful day filled with laughter and great memories. -cmw
Tournament winners: 2nd Place Gross: Texas Air Products Team 2 3rd Place Gross: Sundt Construction 2nd Place Net: Western States Fire Protection 3rd Place Net: Texas Air Products Team 3 Closest to the Pin: Chris Montez, Lasco Ladies Longest Drive: Elizabeth Burkholder, Texas Air Products Men’s Longest Drive: Mike Moynahan, Alamo Crane Services
1st Place Gross: Alamo Crane Service
Brief company announcements of new or recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.
Submit Info & Photo: SAeditor@ConstructionNews.net • (210) 308-5800
1st Place Net: Ella & Kennedy Wire Rope
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
The future at hand
Helping in the kitchen
Yates Construction employees recently volunteered at the San Antonio Food Bank’s Community Kitchen. The team prepared more than 1,000 hot lunches for San Antonio’s preschool program. -cmw
Construction News ON LOCATION
Busy, but not too busy
Shawn O’Haver, President of O’Haver Plumbing Ltd. was busy at work when Construction News popped in to say hello, but he still took the time to visit. -cmw
Sean Murray and Shawna Traphagan of Future Concrete Structures
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ean Murray grew up in construction, running around job sites as a young boy, working alongside his father. At 6 years old, he was cleaning up job sites, picking up lumber and learning to work a wheel barrel. By 13, he started framing then learned how to read plans. He later went on to shadow his father in commercial concrete. He started in the field, tying steel and learning everything about construction, from the ground up. Slowly his dad moved him into the office to teach him estimating. “To me, concrete is the most important piece of any project,” says Murray. “It is literally the foundation of everything. That is what I like most about concrete work.” After 18 years in commercial concrete, Murray decided to go out on his own, starting Future Concrete Structures (FCS) in 2014. Getting FCS up and running was tough. Luckily, Murray had built strong relationships in the industry during his previous 18 years in construction. “I think a lot of them expected me to go out on my own,” adds Murray.
“We have grown from subbing out our first project, to running three full crews,” continues Murray. “After 18 months in business, I bought out my business partner. I have been running the company on my own, with my wife, Jamie, ever since.” In seven short years, FCS has grown from subcontracting out their first project to three crews of 10 with a highly skilled project manager, Shawna Traphagan. “Securing labor is always the hardest thing to secure. My field superintendent, Saul Gomez has been with me from the beginning. My team is a strong cohesive unit.” Licensed and insured, FCS provides reliable commercial and multi-family, concrete construction services from concept to completion. They offer anything from foundations on grade, to elevated concrete structures, as well as providing tilt-up construction services. They have serviced areas as far south as Runge, TX and as west as McCamey, TX, just south of Odessa. Future Concrete Structures is a full-service concrete contractors in Boerne, TX. -cmw
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
JOB SIGHTS
Safety in the trenches
Terracon team members L-R: Yash Menaria and Ted Carlisle at TxDOT project 902021003 IH-20. -cmw
National Trench Safety
Anchor Insulation of Texas LLC Operations Manager Vance Jupe and General Site Foreman Tony Martinez review drawings at the City Tower renovation project in downtown San Antonio. Skanska is the project’s general contractor. DSI is the HVAC/plumbing contractor for the project. -cmw
Aether Illumination LLC’s James Lucio and Owner/Master Electrician Manuel Rangel install new electrical signage at the new H-E-B gas pump station at the corner of Thousand Oaks and Nacogdoches Rd. -cmw
River City Excavation Inc. team members discuss strategy at the TxDOT Campus Consolidation project. L-R: Garette Coleman, Colby Skelton and Scott Thomas. -cmw
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n 2003, Ronald Chilton founded National Trench Safety (NTS). Since then, he has led the NTS business as President and CEO providing missioncritical safety solutions to over 4,000 customers looking for premier trench shoring products and solutions for complex, highly engineered projects. Trench Plate Rental Co. (TPRC), founded in 1979, provides a wide range of trench safety solutions including slide rail systems, trench boxes, aluminum shores as well as trench plates, and traffic control equipment. TPRC which is led by President and Chief Executive Officer, Phil Mason, focuses predominantly on the infrastructure-related end-markets. Together, NTS and TPRC recognize that their market has been changing and have announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge. The new consolidated business will forge forward as National Trench Safety. “NTS is a great brand. It tells people what we do and where we do it. Our customers are growing and becoming more national,” says Mason. “These customers need a trench safety solutions provider that can bring exceptional trench safety expertise to their jobsites on a coast to coast basis.” Majority-owned by Tailwind Capital, the combined company will operate under
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the National Trench Safety brand and will be led by Mason as president and CEO. “We have more than 70 locations across the lower 48 states. At NTS we are always looking for ways to grow and better serve our customers. In fact, at the beginning of March we welcomed Support of Excavation (SOE) into our company. At NTS we think national and act local. The merger will allow the combined company to better serve our customers on a national scale with enhanced fleet, improved service capabilities, and expanded footprint.” TPRC Chairman and Tailwind Operating Executive, Bruce Dressel, noted, “Over the last 18 years, Ron Chilton has built a nationally-renowned trench safety solutions platform with a stellar reputation. We are pleased to partner with the NTS team and look forward to driving long-term sustainable growth via new greenfields and additional M&A. We believe that the combined platform will allow us to better serve our customers and will provide exciting opportunities for our employees. I look forward to welcoming Ron to our board, where his deep industry knowledge and strategic insight will help further define our growth aspirations.” National Trench Safety is a national provider of trench shoring and safety solutions. -cmw
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
A
Walking miracles
mother’s job is never done. She is usually the first to wake in the morning and the last to lay her head down at night. She takes care of the sick, prepares meals, tends to the laundry and so much more. She is a walking miracle. A mother’s job is, in fact, a full-time job in and of itself and yet there are many mothers who take on a second full-time job working outside the home to help provide for the family. In the construction industry alone, there are so many women who juggle both. To you and all mothers, we celebrate you and we thank you. Happy Mother’s Day! -cmw
Margie Ohlenbusch (back row wearing Santa apron), Co-owner of Alamo Crane Services Inc. with the entire Ohlenbusch family – husband Marvin, four children and spouses, nine grandchildren and spouses and 17 great grandchildren.
Elizabeth Yetman Chavez, President and Owner of GARREN Construction with sons Garran (of GARREN Construction) and Gavin (of GAVIN Investments). Yes, this proud mom named her two companies after her babies.
Angela Hines with daughter, Abigail and son, Dylan
Cecilia Castellano of Azteca Designs Inc. with her mother-in-law, Janie Castellano who survived breast cancer, but has been recently diagnosed with bone cancer.
Kurt Robinson, Co-owner of Robinson General Contractors,with his mom, Bonnie.
Lauren Guido Taw, Director of Marketing at Guido Construction and mom, Maryanne Guido, President of Guido Construction.
Yvette Robinson, Co-owner of Robinson General Contractors with her mom Felicitas “Kinney” Garcia.
Angela Hines, Director of New Construction at GW Mitchell Construction with her mom, Patti Turner
Cecilia Castellano of Azteca Designs Inc. with her mom, Elida Arzola
Michael Rosenberg with his mother Betsy Rosenberg of Rosenberg Indoor Comfort
Sherill Stanush with her mom, Judy Wiatrek.
Sherill Stanush, Co-Partner S&S Plumbing Contractors LLC with sons Spencer (left) and Tyler (right).
San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021
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Coming together
Industry FOLKS Jonás Jesucristo Vidaurri Carpentry Helper
Joeris General Contractors, 2nd Year Carpentry Apprentice,
Associated Builders & Contractors, San Antonio, TX
J
onás Vidaurri is a second year carpentry apprentice through the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) South Texas Chapter apprenticeship program. He grew up in Atascosa, TX, a small town just 14 short miles away from downtown San Antonio. Truly an agricultural paradise, Atascosa was a young boys dream with fields of adventure and livestock aplenty. “Growing up in Atascosa was great. I love country life. It is very peaceful and free.” Jonás attended and graduated from Southwest High School, home of the “Dragons” where he excelled in basketball. It is there that Jonás’ interest in carpentry bloomed and began to flourish. While it may have begun as just an elective for graduation credit, it quickly became something more. “Carpentry was something I always did on the side. It called out to me and so I chose it for my life trade. In high school, I took construction as an extra elective, which was something I enjoyed doing.” Jonás realized that college was not the route for him. He decided to pursue and further develop his carpentry passion. In May of 2018, Jonás began working for Joeris General Contractors as a carpenter helper. As a carpenter helper, Jonás keeps himself busy helping others when needed making sure people are working in a safe environment, making the project run smoothly in any way possible.
“I really like being a part of each project. I like being able to accomplish the project and say that I helped build that project.” As a young, single man, Jonás hopes that someday he will have a family of his own. In the meantime, he is the proud parent of Wera. “Wera is a pit bull and the nicest dog you can meet. She is very playful and loves kids.” Reflecting on people who have inspired Jonás through life, he credits two individuals for mentoring him. First, Jonás says his brother, Julio Vidaurri, has been his biggest inspiration. “Julio guided me through life. He has always and continues to reinstate what’s right and what’s wrong in life.” His second influence is his teacher Rigoberto Rosas. “Mr. Rosas teaches me at work and off work. He is continuously inspiring me to become a better person and guiding me to be successful.” “Jonás is a great student and carpenter apprentice,” says Rosas. “In class Jonàs is always engaged. He has excel lent grades and attendance. At work Jonás is a fast learner and very dedicated.“ With no regrets of going directly into the workforce, Jonás still enjoys a good game of basketball. Playing basketball continues to be a favorite pastime and a great relaxation tool for Jonás. He also enjoys riding four-wheelers for fun and tries to get in a good ride any chance he gets. -cmw
May your pockets be heavy
T
Rendering of Petco Love K9 Center new San Antonio facility
urner Construction Company has instituted its culture of “active caring” within the community of San Antonio and giving back in general. When an opportunity like Petco Love K9 Center presented itself, the team of Turner Construction didn’t hesitate to do whatever they could. In 2011, Petco Love K9 Center was founded in Jacksonville, FL when Shari Duval saw the symptoms of PTSD in her son, Brett, a civilian K9 police bomb dog handler who served in Iraq. After doing a lot of research, she found a new mission in life. Through an abundance of sweat equity and the help of her husband, Bob, and the support of family and friends, she put all her time and resources into helping restore the life of her son, and the lives of returning combat veterans. Ten short years later, Petco Love K9 Center has successfully served approximately 700 veterans who have been struggling with PTSD. There are still so many more that need our help. “At least at the time we were first engaged, there was a four-year waiting list for dogs,” says John Christie, Turner Construction Company Special Projects Division/ Interiors Business Manager. “They wanted to increase their supply of dogs, rescue dogs specifically – not purebred nor a specific breed. They target rescue dogs of a certain confirmation and demeanor.” Petco Love K9 Center targeted San Antonio, TX as a potential location. They started doing some research and they found that San Antonio met the criteria they were looking for and decided to come to San Antonio. Turner Construction, general contractor for Petco Love K9 Center project, got involved early in the process and along with some other local construction
professionals – trade partners, owner representatives, suppliers, and manufacturers to see how they, as a construction community, could come together and make this project a success. “With the architect (RVK), Project Controls, and trade partners, we did a lot of design management for the client to help make this job effective from a facilities standpoint, operational standpoint, and a financial standpoint,” adds Christie. The community of trade partners, and construction professionals of the like, have provided almost $500,000 in in-kind donations for this project. “You highlight this project to the construction community,” says Christie. “And you see just how quickly they respond to supporting veterans and Military City USA, nonetheless with a great program for the dogs as well. From owner’s representative to the prime contractor, trade partners, sub-tier contractors, vendors, manufacturers and the whole gamut, top to bottom, has been providing materials, labor and sweat equity. That is just a really neat story about how the AEC (Architectural/Engineering/Construction) community has helped support this entity in coming to San Antonio.” The new Petco Love K9Center facility is currently 50 percent complete. It is located next to Animal Care Services at 151 & Hwy. 90 on the east side of Animal Care Services and the south side of Hwy 151. The City of San Antonio donated the land adjacent to Animal Care Services for a lease of $1 a year to promote the construction of this facility. Turner Construction Company is a national full-service general contracting firm with offices in San Antonio and Austin. Petco Love K9 Center is an American charity and veterans service organization that provides service dogs to veterans. -cmw
The color of the day, of course, was green as the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) celebrated the luck of the Irish on Mar. 17 at the association’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Mixer held at Alamo Café. -cmw
Construction News ON LOCATION
A welcoming base
Turner Construction performs concrete pour on the Petco Love K9 Center project
The ladies at Pro-Line Paving LLC lay a solid welcoming as Construction News pops in to say “hello.” L-R: Kathy Mejia, Maria Nuno and Norma Ortiz graciously take time to visit with CN after starting their busy day. -cmw
Night concrete pour at Petco Love K9 Center project
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San Antonio Construction News • MAY 2021