Greater Port Arthur Magazine Volume 2

Port Arthur Greater

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Bechtel Corporation donates $7 million to create suicide prevention campaign.............4

LEE MEHTA

Town & Country owner built U.S. success story with determination..............................8

GUMBO IS GROOVY

It is the elixir and lifeblood of the Cajun diet. Make sure you know how and why............12

DR. JESSICA RESPUS

Port Arthur native seeks to shape future through educational excellence..................16

AB GENUINE HEALTHCARE

Love of community and serving its residents drives mission.............................................22

ESCOTO TILE & REMODELING

Business has done a lot in the community and continues to inspire.............................28

INDUSTRY OF RESPECT

Kenny Tims, KT Maintenance spotlights safety attendants in the field.......................31

ON THE COVER — Clockwise from top: Bechtel’s Paul Marsden and Brendan Bechtel, KT Maintenance’s Kenny Tims and Brittany Richard, Town & Country’s Lee Mehta and Anasha Butler holding Cailey Christian at AB Genuine Healthcare.

Publisher: STEPHEN HEMELT

Editor: STEPHEN HEMELT

Contributors: MARY MEAUX CHRISSIE MOUTON PA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU.

Advertising: CANDACE HEMELT NATALIE PICAZO

Designer: STEPHEN HEMELT

Photography: MARY MEAUX

STEPHEN HEMELT

CANDACE HEMELT

Contact Information: PORT ARTHUR NEWSMEDIA, LLC PO BOX 789 PORT ARTHUR, TX 77641

Advertising Inquiries: 409-721-2400

Subscriptions: 409-721-2400

www.panews.com

Copyright

MISSION STATEMENT

Our driving mission is to present a positive image of the most interesting and intriguing aspects of the characters, locations and quirks in the Greater Port Arthur area that make our community so remarkable. Our success will be measured through the number of coffee tables on which this magazine proudly lives and the number of conversations its pages spark.

CONSTRUCTION FIELD SUICIDE RATE IN FOCUS

Bechtel Group Foundation’s $7M funds industry changing spotlight

Stephen Hemelt/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Bechtel Energy President Paul Marsden, left, and Chairman and CEO Brendan Bechtel stand within the Port Arthur LNG construction project, which is located in Sabine Pass and is expected to employ close to 6,000 workers at peak construction.

Bechtel is known globally for building projects with a purpose.

Chairman and CEO Brendan Bechtel said company-built projects account for half of the LNG production capacity on the Gulf Coast and a third of total global capacity.

Worldwide the Bechtel Corporation has built and brought into operation 17 LNG trains in the last nine years, which industry leaders say is unprecedented.

Bechtel will tell you this is the result of a one-team approach taken with customers, communities, elected officials and, most importantly, the company’s incredible talent.

Fostering that talent with a safe and inspiring work environment is key. Yet, safety, doesn’t start and end at the job site with procedure guidelines and tool checks.

It’s goes deeper and, unfortunately, uncovers a darker and

often hushed aspect of the profession.

The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S.

The number of suicides in the industry is nearly five times higher than the number of lives lost in jobsite safety incidents, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, respectively.

To combat that disturbing trend, Bechtel pledged a $7 million commitment to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to provide critical resources and programming to 500,000 U.S. construction workers over the next five years.

Effort leaders are working to make the partnership reach those construction workers over five years through industry-specific programs and resources developed by Bechtel and the American Foundation for Sui -

cide Prevention.

It is the largest-ever pledge received by AFSP and the largest single donation ever made by the Bechtel Group Foundation.

This is just the beginning, according to Bechtel leaders.

WHAT IT MEANS

Chairman and CEO Brendan Bechtel and Bechtel Energy President Paul Marsden took time when they were in Port Arthur for the Port Arthur LNG ground breaking to further explain this effort, its origins, and more importantly, the goals.

Bechtel has been contracted by Sempra Infrastructure to construct the Port Arthur LNG facility in Sabine Pass.

Port Arthur LNG is projected to create nearly 6,000 highly skilled jobs at peak construction, all in Port Arthur.

It’s a world class facility construction that is going to come with unique demands and import-

Stephen Hemelt/ Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Numerous cranes are seen at the Port Arthur LNG construction site in Sabine Pass. Bechtel, which is running the construction, is helping lead a greater focus on mental health within the industry.

ant construction landmarks.

This means Bechtel has created a project-specific mental health plan, a process that did not exist just a few years ago.

“When we were all coming up in the business, the people who had been site managers and project managers before us, who we all looked up to, all had these heart-wrenching stories of losing colleagues to industrial accidents on their site,” Bechtel recalls. “They would say, ‘make sure you never let that happen.’ Many of the people in Paul (Marsden) and I’s generation have had careers where that hasn’t happened. We’ve kept people physically safe because of what the industry has done over the last 30 years to improve physical safety.”

What is much more common, they say, for people of their generation is firsthand experience with colleagues who took their own lives.

Facing that challenge with proper support is needed

“It’s the very logical next frontier for us to go after,” Bechtel said. “It’s, frankly, been a little bit invisible until the last few years given the large focus on mental health.”

For years Bechtel leaders have taught mind-

fulness techniques on their projects.

This means realizing leaving the fight-orflight part of your brain when on site and engaging the higher-rational-order-of-thinking part.

“Everybody has always thought, ‘it’s construction. It’s from the shoulders down,’” Bechtel shared. “Today, we need everything. We need everybody mindfully engaged in their work. It needs to be OK to say, ‘I am not OK.’ That is going to take a big shift in mindset in our industry. It is very much a hero, macho culture.”

Stephen Hemelt/

An American Flag is displayed March 15 on site at Port Arthur LNG, which was hosting a ground breaking milestone event approximately a year after work began at the Sabine Pass project.

Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention are starting with suicide prevention because the consequences are the most severe and dire.

They plan to quickly work upstream into mental health because of the precursors that lead to the factors that create a suicide.

The goal right now may be to save lives, but the long term goal is to improve lives.

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Marsden says one way is really understanding the cultural makeup of projects.

Port Arthur LNG is a little different to Corpus Christi or to Rio Grande, all of which are home or major Bechtel initiatives.

It has been a change in mindset, he said, for industry leaders to get to know everybody on the job and set up a leadership structure to break down “this really big elephant into much more manageable pieces where we can actually get to know each other.”

“When you stand there at a prestart meeting with a crew in the morning, if somebody is going to be handling a 9-inch angle grinder, are they in the right mental place that day?” Marsden asks.

“The only way you get to know it is to truly get to know our people and build a relationship structure and a culture that values that first. The reality is what we do is tough work, it’s difficult work. It is high risk, and we really do think the next bastion of driving construction safety is understanding how people show up in the morning. What’s their state of mental well being and being able to identify it, so we don’t put people in harm’s way.”

Stephen Hemelt is the president of Port Arthur Newsmedia, which publishes panews.com, The Port Arthur News and Greater Port Arthur The Magazine. He can be reached at stephen. hemelt@panews.com or 409-721-2445.

Built Ford Tough and Then Some

New Town

&

Country owner built U.S. success story from $8 in his pocket, strong education and determination to succeed

Lee Mehta started out as an immigrant to the United States armed with a degree in business, finance and accounting and $8 in his pocket.

Today he owns several car dealerships, including Town & Country Ford in Port Arthur, which was named Small Business of the Year by the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce.

He said his mind was set firmly on achieving success in this new land of opportunity.

His meteoric rise to the top highlights his drive and determination.

He became a citizen and began his career in the automotive industry in 1982 at a dealership in Illinois, then worked his way up.

Management took notice and in less than a year he was promoted to CFO and was responsible for managing accounting/finance operations.

The business was sold to Strickland Chevrolet in Pearland in 1992.

acquiring dealerships.

He acquired Town & Country Ford in 2023, Reliance Nissan in Alvin in 2019, Reliance Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Bay City in 2018 and Reliance Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Bay City.

Through it all he has worked hard to find the path to success.

“I am very passionate about the car business and believe that motivating people and challenging them to do their best is what builds a winning team,” he said. “My motto reflects my heritage and experience and is the reason for my success. It is the people and the team that makes it happen.”

Mehta has a team of management personnel who have been with him for more than 25 years. It is the key to his success.

He sad his business model is to create a team concept in every department and empower the management team and make them accountable.

“Above all, make sure 100 percent of your 8

Mehta’s hard work, dedication and passion did not go unnoticed and the owners made him partner at the business. Then in 2017, when the decision was made to sell Strictland Chevrolet, Mehta decided to go out on his own and start

Town & Country Ford owner Lee Mehta, right, stands next to one of the vehicles in the Port Arthur showroom.

Courtesy photo

customers are satisfied 100 percent of the time which is a key to your success to build up a repeat business,” he said.

James Marion, general manager, explained Town & Country Ford also works to support the local school system and college and takes part in other community outreach endeavors, such as the Gift of Life.

Marion is a member of the local industrial group and a board member for the local education foundation and CTE program at Memorial High School.

In addition, Town & Country Ford recently teamed up with 148 children from the West Side of Port Arthur and brought them to Target as part of a STEM program, teaching them financial literacy.

The students also went to Saltgrass Steakhouse, all 148 of them, he said.

According to Marion, there are plans for growth in the future of the dealership. One of the ways is adding 15 heavy-duty lifts to the service area in order to work on refinery vehicles.

Town & Country Ford is located at 4545 Twin City Highway.

The sales department is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

— By Mary Meaux

Courtesy photo Lee Mehta is the owner of Town & Country Ford, located at 4545 Twin City Highway.

Brad Coleman, left, walks around the recently repaired passenger van used to transport the Port Arthur Jr. Bees.

Mary Meaux/ Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Neches Management Services provides waste management solutions for all clients, large and small, whether they need a single roll-off or have multi-site/-facility waste management needs. And we do it all, from pick-up to disposal.

SERVICE & EXPERIENCE YOU CAN TRUST Storm and Disaster

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bartie, left, Town & Country Ford General Sales Manager James Marion, Coach Brad Coleman and wife Dr. Brenda Coleman celebrate after the dealership presents the coach with the keys to his now repaired van in February.

GUMBO is GROOVY

Gumbo is the elixir, the lifeblood of the Cajun diet. The savory bowl of brown liquid warms us literally and lovingly. It’s our chicken soup for the soul.

It’s what we ask Grandma to have ready for us when we come visit. If you’re from around here, you know what we mean.

If you’re coming to visit us, we want to fill you in and fill you up. Read up on our gumbo way of life and enjoy Port Arthur the Cajun Capital of Texas.

STEW OR SOUP?

Restaurant menus list gumbo as soups or appetizers. It’s been called a soup or stew, but in Southeast Texas, it’s a thing of it’s very own. Gloria Roy-Pate, one of our Cajun experts, is happy to share some of her thoughts on what’s got to be our favorite dish. We often crave it in cooler months, but Port Arthur has a warmer climate most of the year. She wants

you to know, it’s never too hot to make and eat gumbo.

“Just turn dat termostat down, sha!” is what she says.

If you research gumbo on the Internet or talk to folks without ties to Louisiana or Port Arthur, you may get some bogus info, RoyPate says. We’re willing to agree that families have different traditions, but we here tend to agree with the following:

“Never, ever put tomatoes in gumbo,” she says.

Roy-Pate began her own Internet-based radio station, Cajun Sounds Internet Radio,

ABOVE: Gumbo may have been called a soup or stew, but in Southeast Texas, it’s a thing of its very own.

Courtesy photo

which plays Cajun music all day long. It’s a 24/7 outreach bringing the Cajun culture to the world, she calls this “labor of love.”

She was one of seven children born in Beaumont to parents from Church Point, Louisiana. She and her late husband, Dallas Roy, helped charter the Golden Triangle Chapter of the Cajun French Music Association. Now married to musician Freddie Pate, she helped organize the Cajun Heritage Festival.

HOLY TRINITY

This is the trio of ingredients found in so much Cajun cooking. Some folks think one of those is celery. For Roy-Pate it’s not. Her trinity is onions, bell peppers and green onion tops.

“A gumbo is always started with a beautiful chocolate-colored roux, made from flour and oil. But if you’re busy – or lazy like me –Douget’s roux works wonderfully,” Roy Pate says.

You heard her. Roux from a jar for this working woman. (We’ve done it, too.)

First you start with your roux and get this trinity working. Then the real decisions begin.

SAUSAGE OR SEAFOOD? OR SOMETHING ELSE?

Gumbo is often grouped into chicken and sausage or seafood. Pate always uses Cajun made or smoked sausage. Her seafood blend is shrimp, seafood and okra, she’s been known to add peeled boiled eggs.

Gumbo is often grouped into chicken and sausage or seafood. But, it always must include a pot of rice along

Other families concentrate on duck, goose or turkey.

The day after Thanksgiving, many families are boiling their turkey bones in anticipation of turkey gumbo. Christmas gumbos are a big deal around here as well. Oh, the anticipation…

Pate’s “not for me” list includes andouille sausage and file gumbo. Everybody has her favorites.

Family customs go way, way back.

You’ve got to make a pot of rice along with your pot of gumbo. “Gumbo is always served over a bowl of hot, steaming rice,” Pate says. We wouldn’t think of giving it to her any other way.

Potato salad is a common side dish, as is cabbage slaw. In some places, folks plop potato salad into their gumbo bowl. We’re just not going to talk about that anymore. You really don’t see that too much in Port Arthur.

WHO STARTED IT?

The Mi’Kmaq tribe taught Acadians of Nova Scotia who settled in Louisiana swamps how to make gumbo, according to Roy-Pate’s research. The Spanish, South African and Caribbean cultures contributed to this concoction using many spices and root vegetables. They shared with their new neighbors, now known as the Cajuns, she says.

Presented by the Port Arthur Convention & Visitors Bureau. More information is available at visitportarthurtx.com.

Courtesy photo along with your pot of gumbo. Yet, there are many variations that people have added across the globe.

Dr. Jessica Respus was inspired to embrace education following her experiences as a student in Port Arthur.

Courtesy photo

Dr. Jessica Respus seeks to shape future through educational excellence

Raised in resilient Port Arthur, Dr. Jessica Respus’ story is one of determination, passion and the unwavering belief in one’s potential to enact significant change.

Featured in prestigious outlets such as CEO Weekly, Mashable, The Ritz Herald and Apple Finance, Respus’ journey is a beacon of inspiration for many.

Yet, it’s her roots in the local schools of Port Arthur – Carver Elementary, St. James, Thomas Edison and Thomas Jefferson High School – that laid the groundwork for her achievements.

Respus’ educational path in Port Arthur shaped her into the educator and leader she is today.

Reflecting on her high school years at Thomas Jefferson, she recalls a poignant moment that defined her approach to challenges and opportunities.

As her friends left during lunch to attend Summit, a program for gifted students, she felt a pang of exclusion, wishing she could join them, but her GPA didn’t meet the requirements to qualify for the program.

This experience, far from discouraging, became a cornerstone of her philosophy.

“Never allow anyone to determine the height of your ceiling,” Respus said. “Just because you don’t fit in certain groups, or can’t sit at certain tables, you have the skills to create your own.”

Her journey from feeling overlooked to becoming a double school owner, an advocate for inclusive education and a pioneer for autistic learners embodies this ethos.

After leaving Port Arthur in 1993, she embarked on an academic and professional odyssey, acquiring multiple degrees, including a Doctorate in Educational Leadership,

and establishing successful K-12 schools in Fayetteville, N.C.

Beyond her contributions to the educational realm, Respus has extended her influence into advocacy and technology, authoring a book that offers comfort and guidance to children facing bullying.

She has also designed a journal aimed at supporting young individuals in navigating their experiences, providing them with a tool to express themselves and find strength.

Furthermore, Respus developed an innovative mobile application dedicated to enhancing the safety of households across the United States, demonstrating her commitment to creating a more secure and supportive environment for families.

Respus’ story is a beacon for those feeling marginalized, proving perseverance, inclusive education and belief in oneself can drive transformative change.

As Port Arthur anticipates the fruition of her vision, Respus’ journey continues to inspire, reinforcing that there are no bounds to what can be achieved with determination.

Respus attributes her success to the strong foundation she received from her upbringing in Port Arthur, under the care and guidance of parents Frank and Elizabeth Green.

Their influence ingrained in her the values of hard work and compassion.

Her heart remains committed to making a difference in the world, focused on leaving a legacy and ensuring that her actions between the hyphenated dates of birth and death are meaningful and impactful.

For more information about Respus and her initiatives, email respusandrespus@aol.com.

Greater Port arthur Chamber Greater THE SCENE Port Arthur

There was plenty to celebrate this year during the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce’s 124th Annual Banquet.

The Arthur E. Stilwell Award recipient was Stuart Salter, who said he learned early in his career there is more to business than business.

There was also a special recognition made, by surprise, to Chamber member Ron Arceneaux as the recipient of the John Warne Gates Award.

Also, new Chamber Board Chairman Art Thomas stressed it’s vital to recognize the challenges faced by small businesses in Greater Port Arthur and take action to support their growth and sustainability,” Thomas said.

“Small businesses are the lifeline of the community,” he said.

1. Scott Whitmier and Sharita Gardner

2. Paityn Westbrook, Jorge Mancilla Jr., Karen Mancilla, Odilia Mancilla and Jorge Mancilla Sr.

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Sabine Pilots are serving the shipping industry and the public ports of Beaumont, Port Arthur and Orange as well as the private oil terminals and the industrial complex of Southeast Texas. The Sabine Neches Waterway is the economic lifeline and the gateway to world commerce. It is the duty of the Sabine Pilots to maintain the safety and the environmental integrity of the waterway. We have done so since 1881 and pledge to continue.

1. Lenzie and Lamar Belcher

2. Daylon Turner, Thomas Kinlaw III, Dr. Albert Thigpen

3. Shelly Vitanza and Kate Davi

4. Melissa Kelly, Larry Kelley and Anthony Theriot

5. Frank Kotzur, Reggie Hanley

6. Elvira Narcisse and Jacorie Narcisse

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2

Hometown Healthcare

Love of community and serving its residents drives mission at AB Genuine Healthcare

Courtesy photo

The team outside AB Genuine Healthcare includes Yesenia Lares, Martina Clay, Anasha Butler, Jazmin Vazquez, Tania Torres and Tynequa Iles.

In April 2020, amidst the global uncertainty and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, AB Genuine Healthcare, a primary care clinic, was launched by determined nurse practitioner Anasha Butler.

She was aiming to make a difference in her hometown of Port Arthur.

With a vision for accessible and compassionate care, AB Genuine Healthcare has rapidly grown into a vital part of the city’s medical community.

Butler, who began her nurse practitioner career in 2017, always envisioned establishing her own practice.

However, the journey to opening AB Genuine Healthcare came sooner than anticipated.

“My timing and God’s timing did not match,” Butler says, reflecting on the divine intervention she felt in the creation of her clinic during such a critical time.

Originally situated between 36th and 39th Street in a modest tworoom suite, AB Genuine Healthcare faced its first challenge with location accessibility.

Difficulties in directing patients to this initial location prompted a move to Gulfway Drive, a well-known street that significantly eased the process of finding the clinic. As the pandemic evolved and patient visits transitioned back indoors, the need for more space became apparent.

“The new location, like everything else that took place with ABGH, just fell into place,” Butler said. “I know it was ordained by God.”

AB Genuine Healthcare’s journey from its inception to the present location on Anchor Drive has been marked by achievements rapid growth. The clinic was listed by the Port Arthur Health Department as a COVID-19 testing site, a significant recognition for a small business among larger health care entities.

“Imagine that, a new primary care office with one provider and one medical assistant being able to provide a much needed service at such an unpredictable time for the community,” Butler said.

Courtesy photo

Anasha Butler holds Cailey Christian at AB Genuine Healthcare.

With more than 20,000 square feet of divisible space and over 1,200 square feet

rooms,

“Bob” Bowers Civic Center brings it all together for you. Our centrally located facility o ers quality service, free parking and a professional sta to help make your event a success – all this in a clean and bright atmosphere at a ordable rates.

If you’re looking for a smaller venue, the Museum of the Gulf Coast, Pompeiian Villa or a newly refreshed, upscale restaurant like The Pompano are great options for an intimate group to enjoy fellowship, food and live music.

Port Arthur continues to bring business to SETX. Whether your event is related to sports, social, the military, family or class reunions, religious, corporate or associations, our o ce can help you strategically plan and promote your event in order to increase success and attendance. Our free personalized servicing plan is sure to add a little lagniappe to any event!

AB Genuine Healthcare was recently named Women Owned Business of the Year by the Small Business Development Center at Lamar State College Port Arthur.

This milestone underscored AB Genuine Healthcare’s role addressing urgent community health needs and led to tripling its staff to accommodate the increased demand.

Offering a comprehensive range of primary care services, including sick visits, well visits and various clearances and testing, AB Genuine Healthcare prides itself on its approach to health care.

What sets it apart is not just the breadth of services but the personal touch and accessibility offered to patients.

“I am not a part of a large corporation, and my patients do not have to jump through

Courtesy photo

The team at AB Genuine Healthcare includes Yesenia Lares, Martina Clay, Anasha Butler, Jazmin Vazquez, Tania Torres and Tynequa Iles.

Courtesy photo

Anasha Butler is the owner and operator of AB Genuine Healthcare.

hoops to get what they need,” Butler said. “Sometimes, small is better. With bigger companies, you lose that close knit feeling.”

As a standalone practice, it avoids the bureaucracy sometimes associated with larger health systems, providing care to entire families — from newborns to adults.

“I am unaware of any place, here locally, that offers the option to service the whole family by the same provider,” she said.

AB Genuine Healthcare accepts all Medicaid plans and the majority of private/commercial insurances, ensuring broad accessibility to its services.

Hours of operation are designed to accommodate patients’ needs, with adjustments made during the summer to allow staff more family time, reflecting the clinic’s family oriented values.

Despite its success, the clinic recognizes challenges in health care access, including long wait times, language barriers, financial burdens and transportation issues.

“One of the missions of ABGH is to help as many people as possible, through a comprehensive approach,” Butler said. “If a patient needs help beyond my scope, we try to keep the lines of communication open and link them to the appropriate parties.”

Now housed in a facility with four patient rooms and supported by a bilingual staff, including a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), a medical assistant and two receptionists, AB Genuine Healthcare stands as a testament to the founder’s vision and dedication to her community.

Born and raised in Port Arthur, Butler’s heart remains with the city, driving her commitment to addressing its health care needs and ensuring accessibility for all residents.

“You have to have a heart for the population being serviced,” she said.

AB Genuine Healthcare, 7980 Anchor Drive, Ste 1100 in Port Arthur, is open Mondays through Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 409217-4057.

— Written by Chrissie Mouton

Courtesy photo

Anasha Butler holds David Lares at AB Genuine Healthcare in Port Arthur.

Self-made business grows from humble beginnings to respected SETX resource

Juan Carlos Escoto of Escoto Tile & Remodeling has done a lot in the community and continues to inspire other businesses to open and grow.

That’s what Erika Banda Meza, president of the Hispanic Business Association of SETX, said of association member Escoto.

The comment seems fitting as Escoto Tile & Remodeling was named the Hispanic Business of the Year by the Association.

“We have chosen him because we have seen his growth from when he started out with the HBA to now,” Meza said, calling him an incredible member.

Escoto was one of the previous year’s Businesses of the Quarter.

Meza said the Business of the Year was chosen from the winners of the business of the quarter.

Escoto is grateful for the Association and its help with his business, he said.

Through Hispanic Business Association he found

a good bank to work with and more.

He said he learns from other members and tries to attend every meeting in order to learn more and grow his business.

Escoto Tile & Remodeling specializes in all things tile, from flooring and countertops to full bathroom remodels and kitchens.

Two years ago Escoto was chosen as one of the featured speakers at the Association’s Camino al Exito, or pathway to success — a testament to his business growth.

He offered advice to other business owners, saying “never give up.”

“There will always be someone willing to provide answers you might need,” Escoto said in a 2022 article. “It might require for you to step out of your comfort zone, but the resources are there, from local city codes and permit department or the Better Business Bureau.”

A native of Ixtlan, Michoacan in Mexico, Escoto came to the United States in 2001 and started

Courtesy photo

Juan Escoto and his wife Claudett pose for a photo.

working alongside his father. His former boss, Jorge Castelan, taught him a lot, he said.

“He taught me and my father. I worked for him about four years every day. He was a hard guy, but I learned a lot of things from him,” Escoto said of the tile and construction business.

Escoto branched out with his own business in 2005.

Meza called Escoto a success story.

Escoto Tile & Remodeling is located in Beaumont and can be reached by calling 409454-0019.

— Written by Mary Meaux

Courtesy photo

AT LEFT: A project by Escoto Tile & Remodeling is pictured.

ABOVE: Juan Escoto, owner of Escoto Tile and Remodeling, has been a speaker at Camino al Exito, sponsored by the Hispanic Business Council.

Industry of Respect Kenny Tims and KT Maintenance spotlight safety attendants in the field

Years ago as a welder, Kenny Tims saw the importance of safety attendants in the field.

These were the workers taking on the tasks of fire watch, confined space/hole watch and fresh air/ bottle watch, who are an integral part of an industrial team and a major key to safety.

But, he said, he didn’t like the way safety attendants were generally treated, as if they were a dime a dozen.

So he prayed on it and looked to God for help. He

wanted to see safety attendants treated with dignity and respect — so he started his own company, KT Maintenance Inc.

Tims noted his business partner is Bill Maxey.

The Port Arthur business has now been around for 30 years and is proud to have been part of a number of expansion projects and outage responses at facilities in the area, “providing support personnel such as third-party safety attendants, flaggers, cleanup and general labor.”

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

KT Maintenance President Kenny Tims, left, and Superintendent Brittany Richard stand near awards earned by the company. The Small Business Development Center in Port Arthur recently named KT Maintenance the Service-Small Business of the Year.

“KT Maintenance Company Inc. was founded on the principle of offering highly trained and qualified third-party safety attendants,” Tims said. “We believe that specialized training ensures a higher quality of safety support for our clients’ prime contractors.”

KT Maintenance has provided services for Motiva, Total, Valero and ExxonMobil-Beaumont.

RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE

The Small Business Development Center Port Arthur recently named KT Maintenance the Service-Small Business of the Year.

This isn’t the only accolade bestowed on the company.

It also earned the 2022 Contractor Safety Award presented by the Golden Triangle Business Roundtable of Southeast Texas, as well as an award from

Motiva in 2016, among other awards.

THE KEY TO SAFETY

Brittany Richard has been with KT Maintenance for eight years, having worked her way up from hole watch/fire watch to superintendent.

She has a keen understanding of the industry’s needs and currently oversees the site management for KT Maintenance at Motiva. This is for day-to-day operations and for any other project the company has, she steps in.

“We do hands-on training here, so we hire new to the industry. We don’t just hire experienced people. We love experienced people, but even with experienced people, we treat them as new to industry because of how we do things, which is totally different,” Richard said.

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

A connection to the past — the concrete driveway once used when the building was a car dealership decades ago is pictured.

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Pictured is the KTMC Insulation & Scaffolding section of the yard.

Once a person leaves the training portion, they have an ongoing mentorship in the field, where they are following up and doing observations in the field and weekly evaluations.

Tims calls it a process and one that’s changing.

Now, general contractors tend to have workers for more than the specialized crafts; they hire safety attendants.

Tims hopes the industry changes and safety attendants are seen as a craft and not just support.

“We support safety,” Tims said. “We make sure that everybody goes home safe. We make sure that when something happens, we try to catch it first so we can prevent it from happening. And those are our commitments to the industry.”

KT Maintenance, he said, raised the bar for safety.

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

A look inside one of the Texas Cool Down Trailers.

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

KT Maintenance was awarded the 2022 Contractor Safety Award by the Golden Triangle Business Round table of Southeast Texas.

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine One of the Texas Cool Down Trailers is pictured.

The training, coupled with the management where work is done and checked, makes the program successful.

MOVING FORWARD

Known as a small safety attendant company, Tims said they do much more.

In 2013, Tims added KTMC Insulation & Scaffolding, LLC, as a division of KT Maintenance Company Inc., thus expanding the services.

The company also offers Texas Cool Down Trailers, which are all-season trailers that can be brought to an industrial site for workers to go in and either cool off in the heat of summer or get warm in the dead of winter.

LOCATION

Tims, born and raised in Orange, opted to locate his business in downtown Port Arthur at 800 Procter St.

The building itself has been around for many decades and was once home to Inman Chevrolet Company.

Tims noted the floor in one part of the building that still has the same decorative touches as before and a section of the garage still sports the area where the cars were driven up an incline to the showroom.

Much work was done, otherwise, to revamp the building — which had been vacant for years — to serve as the offices for KT Maintenance.

— Written by Mary Meaux

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

KT Maintenance employee Abdi Ordonez uses a forklift to move materials.