South Texas Construction News Febuary 2015

The Industry’s Newspaper

™CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTIONSouth Texas

Sports bar and grill makes splash

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Client satisfaction and community involvement are what drives the people behind the firm Boulting-

house Simpson Gates Architects in McAllen. The firm was formed 25 years ago in 1990 when two independent firms merged into one. “Our architectural goal is to not just amass a long list of buildings or projects, but more importantly a long list of satis-fied clients,” says principal Danny Boult-inghouse. “We are not in it for glory or awards, although we have been publi-cally recognized for some of our work, we rarely participate in competitions.” And it’s not just the external client the firm aims to please. Many of the non-partner employees have been there for

more than 15 years. “The combined years of loyal service to this firm of the eight non-partner em-ployees is over a century,” says principal John Gates. The warm and friendly ambience cultivated at the firm appeals to every-body, it seems. “A very unique quality that I see here compared to other firms is this office is extremely inviting and personable to cli-ents and friends,” says repeat intern Ab-bie De Leon. “There’s always people swinging by the office to say hello and that makes every day interesting, be-cause you never know who you’ll have a conversation with or what new person

L-R: Intern Abbie De Leon gets some hands on mentoring from principalsDanny Boultinghouse, Bob Simpson and John Gates.

Longhorn MuseumPleasanton, TX

The owners of the new Tuercas Sports Bar in Mercedes spared no expense in getting the ambiance

just right. Pedro and Gabi Villareal, and their general contractor, Alejandro Tajonar of Stallion Construction LLC, worked hand-in-hand with architect Marcelino Cantu to create an authentic, warm and welcoming restaurant and bar. From wrought iron tableside purse/jacket and bucket of beer holders to wood details on both the inside and pa-tio bars, the environment is obviously lovingly planned. High exposed ceilings are painted black, with Edison bulbs illu-minating the dining area, to create an industrial feel. And at night, the lights dim for a cool effect. The project cost $200,000 and took about nine weeks to finish. The project consisted of the construction of the sports bar starting from an empty com-

mercial space located in the Rio Grande Premium Outlets in Mercedes. According to Tajonar, one of the ma-jor challenges faced during the construc-tion was the installation of a grease trap that was 8’x10’x 6’. “We were not allowed to use the sidewalk, so we used a big crane and we moved the 4,000-lb grease trap approxi-mately 40 feet in the air to install it in a ditch specially made to fit the trap,” To-janar says. What made the project unique was all of the different decorative elements that makes it special, like the wave type ceiling and walls in each of the bars (in-side and outside} and the lighting that was carefully studied to offer perfect il-lumination for the whole restaurant. Twelve big-screen TV’s, a pool table and an awesome jukebox were some of the initial furnishings installed to kick off

Situated at the outlet mall in Mercedes, TX, Tuercas Sports Bar & Grill is the fourth business there for owners Pedro and Gabi Villareal.

Construction News is pleased to an-nounce the launch of its new, rede-signed website.

Welcome to constructionnnews.net, a site where you will find instant access and expanded capabilities to enhance our five printed publications. Our new website has been crafted to reflect what our readers need and want to know. Additionally, the redesigned site builds upon technology capable of addressing future needs. Upon visiting our site, you will im-mediately notice streamlined menus, simple navigation and access to the in-formation you want. It’s all there for the viewing!

What’s different? New features run the gamut from easy access to all of our stories – or, if you prefer – stories broken out into the city newspaper they originated in. We now offer classified ads and at present, they are free! So, help us kick it off by taking advantage of this section. Do you need a reprint of your story to add to your walls? It is now easy to or-der one or more online. Did your secretary keep your copy of the latest Construction News? No prob-lem! Use our easy to find rack location maps to find the closest location to pick up a copy in most areas of the state.

Plenty of fun features and expanded access await viewers to thenew constructionnews.net

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

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Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buddy DoebblerEditorial/Production . . . . . . . Reesa DoebblerManaging Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi WrightProduction Manager. . . . . . . . . . Sue JohnsonSales Representative. . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim ReillySales Representative. . . . . . . . . Kent Gerstner

San Antonio • Austin • Dallas/Fort WorthHouston • South Texas

Cyndi Wright, South Texas Editor: [email protected] 210-308-5800

South Texas

The South Texas Construction News (ISSN #2327-4670) is published monthly by Construction News Ltd., dba South Texas Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction related companies in the South Texas area. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space-available basis. Construction News, Ltd., dba South Texas Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

If you are a construction-related companyin Aransas, Atascosa, Bee, Calhoun, Cameron, DeWitt, Dimmit, Frio, Goliad, Hidalgo, Karnes, Kenedy, Kleberg, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick,

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South Texas Construction News • Feb 2015

Rocket men

CraftsmanshipConstruction News ON LOCATION

Situated in historic downtown Corpus Christi, The Hoffman Company has been manufacturing architectural woodwork since 1945. Hard at work recently were, L-R:

Johnny Zapata, Ben Gonzales, Leonard Geissel, Ron Crawford and Bob Slusher. –cw

JR Hartman Jr., president of Rocket Oilfield Services, comes from a fami-ly line of people well known in the

Victoria area for their Christian values, community involvement and entrepre-neurship. Hartman is also a partner in Rocket Field Services, but the Rocket moniker goes back to Hartman’s grandfather, E.R. “Nook” Rode, who founded and owned Rocket Workover in South Texas from 1965-1986. Now, Rocket Field Services are owned by JR, Paul White, Jim Hartman (JR’s fa-ther) and BA Stryk. Rocket Oilfield Services is mainly in-volved in boring and trenching, while Rocket Field Services handles production equipment, pipelines, well hookups, lease crews, general maintenance, clean up pits, facility construction and road and location construction. JR’s parents, Jim and Jennifer Hart-man, own and founded VCS Companies,

which include Victoria Communications, VCS Security Systems, I.C.T. and Rocket Oilfield Services. Lynda Parma, who has been the marketing and public relations coordina-tor for the companies for seven years, says the Hartman’s are well known and are also a great company to work for. “God is first,” Parma says of the fami-ly’s Christian values. “It’s a Christian-based company that is heavily involved in the community. They believe in giving back and they have taught us to give back.” As a company, there are numerous events to celebrate employees, including honoring veterans, milestone birthday parties, the occasional family day and regular potlucks. Many employees who have multiple years of service, including one who will celebrate 30 years when VCS celebrates its own 30-year milestone this year, mark employee retention in the family-owned businesses. –cw

The Rocket Companies are owned by four partners, two of whom are Paul White, left, and JR Hartman Jr., right, standing in front of the new corporate offices currently under construction.

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Stars came out in Corpus

It was a ‘starry night’ in Corpus Christi at the star-themed 2014 annual Associated General Contractors South Texas Chapter (AGC) awards banquet on Jan.

23 at the Corpus Christi Science & History Museum. From the award winners to the catered meal to the glamorous star theme decorated event site (even an American Idol as the entertainment), everybody in at-tendance had a great time. Congrats to the winners! –cw

Not pictured:

Electrical Subcontractor of the Year: T.L. ElectricSupplier of the Year: Contractors Building Supply

GC of the Year: Fulton/Coastcon Project Manager of the Year:Tim McCandless, Fulton/Coastcon

Estimator of the Year: Mike Munoz, Beecroft Construction Superintendent of the Year: Larry Wallace, Fulton/CoastconOffice Support Staff of the Year:

Annette Garcia, Beecroft Construction

Mechanical Subcontractor of the Year: Malek Inc. Exterior Improvement Subcontractor of the Year:Ambrose Construction LTD

Interior Improvement Subcontractor of the Year:Allison Flooring America Inc.

Building Envelope Subcontractor of the Year:Haeber Roofing

Plumbing Subcontractor of the Year:Gentry Company

Construction Service Firm of the Year:Navy Army Community Credit Union

Engineer of the Year: Naismith Engineering Inc. Architect of the Year: Ferrell Brown & Associates

2015 AGC Board of Directors, from left, Jason Zipprian, Mike Cantu, Brad Larza, Don Boyd, Bud O’Bryan,

Shannon Reynolds, Ray Jones


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Last month we began the discussion of “invisible” ex-clusions – exclusions that may not be brought to the

attention of the insurance buyer and that will not be de-clared on a certificate of insurance. Discussed were three endorsements that gutted the contractual liability coverage required in most construc-

tion agreements. This discussion focuses on five other largely invisible endorsements that delete needed (and usually required) coverage.

Invisible exclusions, part IICharles E. Comiskey, Sr. V.P.Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates, inc.Houston, TX

Classification Limitation General liability coverage usually covers all operations of an insured. A classification limitation restricts that cov-erage only to certain specifically listed classifications on a policy. If an opera-tions falls outside of that description (in the insurance company’s opinion), no coverage is provided. For instance, we recently reviewed the coverage for a large excavation con-tractor. 100% of their work was per-formed underground, but their classifi-cation as stated on their policy excluded any damage to property underground. Good deal for the insurance company, right? Not so good for the unaware con-tractor.Habitational or Residential Exclusion When addressing a group of con-tractors, I like to ask how many of them never do any residential work. The vast majority raise their hand. The follow-up question is whether they would do resi-dential work if requested by their largest customer, or their mother or sister, and the story changes. A residential exclusion is an absolute exclusion. There is no exception for cer-tain customers or family members. What is the definition of “residen-tial”? It varies widely and may be nego-tiable, but many insurance companies have a very broad definition including anything with a bed – homes, apart-ments, condos/townhomes, jails/pris-ons, dorms, barracks, sometimes even hotels or motels. If confronted with a habitational or residential exclusion, don’t assume. Ask.Insured vs. Insured Exclusion A Named Insured vs. Named Insured endorsement excludes cross claims against members of the same economic family and is perfectly acceptable. An Insured vs. Insured exclusion, however, excludes cov-erage for any claim made by any insured against any other insured. If your firm is an additional insured on another contractor’s coverage, it is an insured. An Insured vs. Insured exclusion eliminates all coverage should your firm bring litigation against that other contractor.Subsidence Exclusion A subsidence exclusion is really a thinly veiled construction defect exclu-

sion. The wording varies from insurance company to insurance company, but usu-ally includes reference to collapse of drains, improper soil compaction and movement of earth in any manner. For any contractor performing underground or concrete work, a subsidence exclusion could be deadly.Punitive, Exemplary or Multiplied Dam-ages Exclusion Punitive/exemplary claims against contractors are rare and difficult to prove, but practically every construction-relat-ed claim includes an allegation of viola-tion of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. This is a much easier allegation to prove, and if proven the damages are multiplied three-fold. As recommended last month, discuss these exclusionary endorsements with your insurance broker, and verify that they are not included in your insurance program. But what if you are the up-stream party depending on a certificate of insurance? Two steps can be taken:

1. In your insurance requirements, state that these endorsements are prohibited on the downstream par-ty’s insurance program; and

2. Require a copy of the Schedule of Forms and Endorsements page veri-fying that they haven’t been includ-ed in the underlying insurance pro-gram.

If any of these endorsements are be-ing used, obtain copies and read them carefully with the assistance of your in-surance broker. Attempt to negotiate around any undesirable wording, or con-sider selecting another contractor whose insurance program more closely com-plies with your needs. Next month we will discuss fre-quently misunderstood additional in-sured issues and the invisible exclusions inherent in them.

Charles E. Comiskey, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, CRM, PWCA, CRIS, CCM, is Sr. V.P. of Brady Chapman Holland & Assoc. and is National Chairman of the Construction Insurance Practice Group of RiskProNet International, the 5th largest broker-age organization in the U.S. He can be contact-ed at 713.979.9706 or [email protected].

Saving tax dollars with areverse audit

John Wellington, Director of State and Local TaxesLane Gorman Trubitt PLLCDallas, TX

If you have not paid all of your Texas sales and use tax-es, chances are the Comptroller’s Office will let you

know about it. However, when you pay too much sales and use tax, no one is going to tell you. To identify over-

payments and seek reimbursements, companies should consider conducting a “re-verse audit,” whereby it audits its own records looking for overpayments of sales and use taxes.

Take Advantage of Tax Exemptions While many companies have sales and use tax compliance systems in place to prevent overpayment, such systems need to be frequently reviewed to ensure that they are working properly. Business expansion or downsizing, employee turnover, or even just human error can compromise the safeguards you have in place, resulting in overpaying sales and use tax. The majority of overpayments come from unclaimed tax exemptions. With a combined sales tax rate in Texas typically exceeding 8%, it can be well worth your time to ensure that you are claiming all of the exemptions that you are entitled to receive. For example, manufacturers are ex-empt from sales tax imposed on their manufacturing equipment and related replacement parts and utilities. Begin-ning in 2014, Texas also offers an exemp-tion for certain research and develop-ment expenditures.

Timing is Everything One of the best times for conducting a reverse sales and use tax audit is at the start of a major capital project. Even if you cannot commit to the time and ex-pense of a full companywide audit, you can still audit the transactions specifically associated with this project. Not only will you uncover overpayments during the project, but you will also be reminded of previous projects with similar transac-tions. Another excellent time for a reverse audit is when there is a significant change to state tax law. Changes in tax laws are often overlooked, but can result in sig-nificant missed opportunities. As the 2015 Texas Legislature ramps up, many sales tax exemptions are being consid-ered.

The Anatomy of a Reverse Audit A reverse audit should look at both your tax compliance systems and your purchasing records. It should encompass your entire business and go back as far as the statute of limitations will allow (four years in Texas).

Sample payments that should be re-viewed include:• Warehouse equipment• Safety equipment• Maintenance fees• Service transactions• Software licenses• Protective clothing When examining whether you have made overpayments in these or other ar-eas, it is important to have a comprehen-sive understanding of your operations and the applicable tax law. Companies must be able to examine the process as a whole to maximize the benefit from po-tential sales and use tax exemptions.

Worth the Investment Reverse audits can be a lengthy and involved process, but the rewards can make it well worth the effort. When uti-lized to its full potential, a reverse audit will not only allow you to claim refunds of significant amounts of overpaid taxes, but will also enable you to update your compliance systems to minimize over-payments in the future. The intricacies of sales and use tax law are complicated. Before tackling them on your own, be sure to work with your trusted state and local tax special-ists.

About Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLCFounded in 1950, Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC (LGT) is one of the largest certified public accounting firms headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Dedicated to serving the mid-dle market, the firm represents a broad range of clients, from individuals to public companies, in a variety of industries. LGT offers traditional accounting, audit and tax services, as well as various other specialized services. In an effort to expand the services we provide to our valued clients, LGT has launched three affiliated companies, LGT Financial Advisors, LLC, LGT Insurance Ser-vices Inc. and LGT Retirement Plan Solu-tions.

It’s a gas!Construction News ON LOCATION

Praxair Corpus Christi regional manager Robert Reyes, far left, and staffers Marilyn Martinear, Zach Bell and Ramiro Montiel offer gas and welding services across a broad

spectrum of industries. –cw


It is common knowledge that if you plan to sue the driv-er who ran into you at the intersection, you need to

photograph, inspect and adjust your damages to pre-serve your claim.

Don’t spoil your claimKaren Landinger, PrincipalCokinos, Bosien & YoungAustin, TX

What seems so obvious in the con-text of an automobile accident often gets lost on the construction site. Deadlines, schedules and weather can all make the need to correct a problem seem more ur-gent than the need to document the problem. However, without proper documen-tation, notification and preservation, you might end up picking up the bill for someone else’s mistake. In simple terms, spoliation is the im-proper alteration or destruction of evi-dence that is important to the evaluation of claims in litigation. The spoliation of evidence may give rise to a presumption and instruction to the jury that the evi-dence would have been harmful to the party who destroyed or failed to preserve it. Last year, the Texas Supreme Court instructed that a duty to preserve evi-dence exists when “a party knows or rea-sonably should know that there is a sub-stantial chance that a claim will be filed and that evidence in its possession or control will be material and relevant to that claim.” Brookshire Bros., Ltd. v. Al-dridge, 438 S.W.3d 9, 20 (Tex. 2014). A spoliation instruction will be pro-vided where “(1) the spoliating party acted with intent to conceal discoverable evidence, or (2) the spoliating party act-ed negligently and caused the non-spoli-ating party to be irreparably deprived of any meaningful ability to present a claim or defense.” Petroleum Solutions, Inc. v. Head, 11-0425, 2014 WL 7204399, at *5 (Tex. Dec. 19, 2014). As a result of job site dynamics, spo-liation is a considerable risk in the con-struction industry. In the Miner Dederick case, the spoliation of evidence resulted in the loss of a $727,000 verdict by Gulf Chemical and Metallurgical Corporation (“Gulf”). Miner Dederick Const., LLP v. Gulf Chem. & Metallurgical Corp., 403 S.W.3d 451, 455 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2013, pet. denied). Gulf contracted with Miner Dederick for the expansion of a hazardous material containment building which included the pouring of a new foundation. Follow-ing completion, the foundation began leaking at an expansion joint. Gulf re-quested that Miner Dederick repair the

expansion joint pursuant to a warranty. Miner Dederick refused to remedy the defect, but sent three separate requests to Gulf asking for the right to inspect the expansion joint. Gulf denied Miner Ded-erick’s requests, and undertook repair which included covering the expansion joint with a new sealant and pouring sev-eral inches of concrete over it. Gulf subsequently sued Miner Ded-erick for the cost of the repairs. During trial, Miner Dederick sought a spoliation instruction asserting that Gulf destroyed or concealed evidence regarding the al-leged defects of the expansion joint. The trial court denied the request and award-ed Gulf $727,000 in damages. On appeal, the First Court of Appeals ruled that be-cause Gulf was aware of the chance that it would file a claim against Miner Deder-ick, Gulf had a duty to preserve the ex-pansion joint, and, by resealing the joint and covering it with concrete, Gulf breached that duty. The court also found that Miner Dederick was injured by Gulf’s action and consequently reversed the judgment of the trial court. Given the harsh effects of a spolia-tion instruction, contractors would be well advised to err on the side of caution when it comes to preserving evidence. Merely taking photographs and docu-menting expenses may not be sufficient. See id. at 470 (finding that the value of the spoliating party’s photographic docu-mentation was insufficient because the non-spoliating party did not have oppor-tunity to conduct forensic testing). The Miner Dederick Court suggested that if a party has a legitimate need to de-stroy evidence, it might discharge its duty by giving the other party notice of the claim and a right to inspect and test the evidence before its destruction. The failure to follow procedures may result in a loss far greater than the delay.

Karen Landinger is a principal of Coki-nos, Bosien &Young, a full service law firm with offices in Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. For more information on our services, please visit www.cbylaw.com

Service with a smileConstruction News ON LOCATION

Crystal Valdez and Rosa Valdez are manning the office at A&L Industrial Services in Corpus Christi. –cw

In the early evening hours of Dec. 29, Mildred Doebbler took her last breath and left this world for a better place.

Her three children, me being the oldest, were with her at the end - which was only fitting since she was always there for us. She was small in size and always very prim and proper. She was also ornery, strong-headed, opinionated and tough when she needed to be. Like I said at her funeral, I am my mother’s son all right. But there was a much different side of her. She always supported the three of us in whatever we decided we wanted to do. She never missed a football or base-ball game when we were playing and my sister had many great experiences be-cause of Mom. She was always there to help us and encourage us and her love for the grand-kids and us was always the strongest.

Mom, your job is over

We would sometimes make fun of her little quirks, like dating photos of people in years, months and days. That really came in handy for the funeral, so I guess mother knew best. The last two years of her life were spent in Colonial Gardens Alzheimer's Assisted Living. I know she drove t h e m all crazy at first, wanting perfection for everything, but they came to love her. She was a handful, but they got attached to her and there were lots of tears from staff the day she passed. It was hard to watch this terrible dis-ease take its toll on a once vibrant lady. We can only hope that someday a cure will be found. Mom, you raised your children and took care of daddy but now you can fi-nally rest. Love you always.

Buddy Doebbler, Publisher

Mildred Doebbler at 76

Frank TrimbleWKMC ArchitectsCorpus Christi, Tx

Industry FOLKS

Born and raised in Missouri, Frank Trimble received a degree in archi-

tecture from Kansas State University. “Shortly thereafter, I became a Tex-an, attending a graduate program in Solar Energy Studies at Trinity Universi-ty and working for a large architectural firm in San Antonio,” he says. “I worked for two architectural firms in Corpus Christi before finding a home with Mc-Cord and Lorenz in 1992. After a merg-er and two name changes, the same company is now WKMC Architects.” Trimble is now a partner in the firm. And even though he has been en-thusiastic about exercising since his teens, when he discovered Crossfit, he truly found what he really enjoys. Crossfit workouts are programmed throughout the year and vary greatly; an identical workout is rarely pro-grammed more than two or three times in one year. “Because the exercise movements vary so often, these workouts keep muscles guessing and ready for any ac-tivity,” Trimble says. He gives the credit to a young man who attended the aerobic exercise class Trimble was leading for getting him into Crossfit. “Zeph Littleton, an exceptionally fit young man, attended several of my classes. Zeph introduced me to Cross-fit.com where I found workouts that were much more aggressive than any-thing I had led in my 20 years of exer-cise classes,” he explains. “After attend-ing classes for a month or two, I found that the physical results were amazing.

What really impressed me was how ef-ficient the workouts were for produc-ing quick and obvious results.” Trimble typically devotes three to four days a week at the Crossfit XLR8 gym, as well as participating in compe-titions. “Competition may not be what ev-eryone wants, but it is thrilling to me,” he said. “Each year, there is a world-wide open competition from which the best are invited to compete at the World Games in California.” In 2013, Trimble finished first in the U.S. South Central Region and 22nd in the world (in his age group). After be-ing sidelined by an injury while training for the 2014 competition, he plans to make the most of the 2015 competi-tion, which begins in March. He says most anybody can take part in Crossfit and find positive results. “There are very few people that I would steer away from Crossfit,” he says. “I am 60+ years old and think that if I can do it, so can a lot of your read-ers.” –cw


Vernon CarrOwner

Coastal Bend DemolitionCorpus Christi

Specializing in Industrial Scrap Metal& Container Service

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As a business owner, Vernon Carr puts living life to the high stan-dards he saw modeled in his

grandfather, his namesake, above profits and fortune. “He was a very strong man,” Carr re-calls. “He had morals and ethics I can only aspire to have.” It’s been one year since Carr started Coastal Bend Demolition – and six months since he said goodbye to the man he was closest to in his life – his pal, buddy and best friend. “I lost him shortly after opening the business,” Carr says. “He was proud to witness the creation of a goal he had al-ways encouraged me to pursue. It felt good to make him proud.” Tell me about your early life. I’m originally from Austin, that’s where I grew up. I graduated from Johnston High School, where I played football. While I was still in high school, I worked in a work-study program at Dell Computers when they first started up. Michael Dell actually hired me himself. I was a mail clerk, stuffing envelopes. I had no idea how big the computer thing would be. I was real smart and decided to leave them for the army. (laughs)

Tell me about the rest of your family. My dad was a computer program-mer. He retired from the state of Texas. My mom began volunteering for People Against Violent Crime and was founder of “The Tree of Angels.” She was an advocate and ran the organization for the last 25 years. She is still involved, but is semi-retired. My brother works for Kraft Foods in San Antonio and my sister works for Tex-as Juvenile Probation Commission.

So you served in the army? Yes, I joined the army in 1987. My grandfather had served in the military and I always had this sense that I would follow in his footsteps. My plan was to make that my career, retire young, acquire a civil service job, work my remaining years and retire again. I went to Desert Storm in 1990 and came back in 1991. After returning from the war, I just didn’t have the same en-thusiasm.

What happened after you got back and left the service? I went to work with a friend for a util-ity construction company laying water and sewer lines. I started at the bottom in a ditch as a general laborer and worked my way up to superintendent. After that, I worked as a branch man-ager for a utility supply company, selling underground pipe and supplies to con-tractors.

You also married during that time right? Yes. Jennifer and I married in 1993. We’ve known each other since sixth grade, dated in junior high, but lost con-tact with each other in high school. A friend of mine was getting married and it turned out that we were both in the wedding. That’s where the story be-gins.

What did you do after the utility sup-ply company? I went to work for a bridge demoli-tion contractor. I traveled around the U.S. as a bridge demolition superintendent. Being homesick and missing my family, I decided to take a job closer to home. I went to work for a demolition con-tractor in Austin. We had some pretty high profile projects: the implosion of Texas Stadium; a 15-story building in Midland; and demolishing the Dallas Mavericks basketball arena.

How did you end up in Corpus Christi? I was traveling for them a lot, over-seeing the high profile jobs and they sent me to Corpus Christi to tear down Memo-rial Coliseum. It was very high profile and very sensitive for South Texas. A lot of citizens didn’t want it to be torn down since it was a memorial for WWII veter-ans. I was the senior project manager and was usually the one they turned to for sensitive projects out of town, meeting with city council members, city engi-neers, etc. We had always vacationed here. We had always said it is a fun place to visit, but couldn’t imagine living there, with all the wind and sand. I decided I liked the area after being in the area for some time for work – enjoying the slower pace of life. Fishing had something to do with it.

I decided I would to seek out em-ployment in Corpus and set our roots. We live on the island and instead of a backyard, we have a boat dock.

What did your family think about that? Jennifer wasn’t real big on it, but the importance of our family being together outweighed the move. Our boys, on the other hand, had a different opinion. They were at an age where they had formed close friendships in school and they didn’t want to leave.

Tell me about your family. Jennifer works for Precision Masonry as office manager and works here part-time. She oversees my office manager, Katheran Crawford, who has been with me since this summer and is a real bless-ing. My oldest son is 20 and recently moved back to Austin. He is exploring and trying out different opportunities. My youngest son is 15. He is a sophomore in high school and big in football.

What were you doing when you first moved to Corpus? I was working for a small demolition company. I helped them take it to the next level. After five years, I decided it was time to go out on my own. I decided to do that in September 2013 and pulled the trigger in January 2014.

So, celebrating one year! How is it go-ing? It’s been great! The support from the general con-tractors has been more than what I ex-pected. You still do a lot of business in this town with a handshake and word of mouth is very important. I built that relationship working down here for other people. Breaking out on my own and telling people I could provide the same work with the same quality was untested. I had to hire new employees and train them. There was a learning curve. Overall, we’ve done great. I have had about 50 percent more business than I anticipated. Along with that, of course, comes growing pains. Nothing that hurt us, but sometimes you have to pace yourself. You don’t want to grow too big too quick.

What is your business philosophy? Above all, putting the customers’ needs first, providing quality service and honesty with contractors and employees – values we take seriously. Staying true to your word. I’m not afraid to tell someone that I can’t accept their job if I feel the company

is involved in enough work. I’d rather do that than overextend and not come through with the integrity and quality I have worked hard to estab-lish. When I give a contractor a price, I hate to ask for a change order. I try to do a good job on my takeoffs. I’ve really worked hard at creating that since Corpus Christi is such a small town. Your pricing on a project plays about 75 percent into whether you get it - 25 percent is going off what you’ve done for them in the past, your reputa-tion.

Tell me more about your grandfather. Growing up he was always my men-tor. It’s something you really can’t ex-plain. We just buried him this last year. We were always doing something to-gether: camping, fishing, gardening. We were always attached at the hip. He was a Blue Collar man (butcher). One of those people everybody respect-ed. When he had something to say, ev-erybody listened. He could always make people laugh with a joke. He was very personable. In the 87 years he was alive and 46 years I knew him, I never heard anything negative come out of his mouth.

What do you do to relax? The thing that makes me relax is yard work: building flowerbeds, planting, mowing the grass - that’s my time, my alone time not thinking about work. I also love to fish and hunt.

Does your family take vacations? We didn’t do a lot of family vacations with our kids growing up – mainly com-ing down here to the beach. Now we mainly go back to Austin to visit with family. When Jennifer and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary, we went to Cozumel. It was the first time for her to go to Mexico.

Have I forgotten to ask anything? Since we opened, we’ve gotten our asbestos abatement license and mold re-mediation license – so we are doing a lot of environmental projects. Anytime you go to tear down a build-ing, older buildings have asbestos that needs to be contained. We have a crew now that does nothing but asbestos and mold. Our company is very involved in As-sociated General Contractors South Tex-as Chapter and we also work with Habitat for Humanity. I try to salvage lumber, doors and other pieces they can use when we demo a project. –cw

Jennifer and Vernon Carr have known each other since junior high school. They rediscovered each other by chance when both were participants in a friend’s wedding.


SHARE YOUR PHOTOS . . .fishing, hunting, skiing,

biking, racing, orany outdoor activity or sport.There is no charge to you.

Email to:[email protected]

or call 210-308-5800(home office)Ask for Cyndi)

BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUTSPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUN DER

FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

(361) 949-7359www.baffi nbaycharters.com

[email protected]

U.S. Coast Guard &Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed

STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC

Mother Nature cranks up winter

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Sponsored by:Premier Yamaha Boating Center,

Majek Boats, E-Z Bel Construction,Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor,

Aggregate Haulers, Interstate Batteries, Pure Fishing, Mirr-O-Lure, ForEverlast

Hunting and Fishing Products andColumbia Sportswear.

As we roll into February, which I consider our coldest part of the winter, we are faced with constant

weather changes. Cold fronts every four to five days followed by warming trends in between. This makes it hard to plan for any type of outing on the water, mainly because you never know how severe the weather is going to be, and depending on an accurate weather forecast is practi-

cally impossible. For this reason, you must be ready to roll on the spur of the moment. February can be a tough time to lo-cate fish, but with a little knowledge of fish habits, you can eliminate a lot of wa-ter and narrow down the areas in which you want to fish.

Learn to read the water. By that I mean look for signs of baitfish and game fish that may be present. Some exam-ples would be, starting with the most ob-vious, is feeding sea gulls. Find the feed-ing gulls and specks are sure to be pres-ent. Feeding pelicans are another dead

Mark Afram of Corpus Christi caught this 4-lb. Speck on an Original Corky Devil on acold morning last month in Baffin Bay, while fishing with Capt. Steve Schultz.

Water temp. was 46 deggrees at the start of the day.

give-away. Schools of hungry specks are feeding on the shrimp or baitfish, send-ing them fleeing to the surface to escape. Another sign of feeding specks are so called “SLICKS.” The active feeding of game fish and regurgitation of baitfish they are eating cause these oil slicks floating on the surface. You will usually detect a sweet smell near the slicks. Fish-ing under and around these slicks is very productive for specks, as most fish will be caught on the bottom as they wait for injured baitfish and/or the remains of baitfish falling from the surface. The best way to fish the birds or the slicks is to qui-etly drift or wade into the area being ex-tra careful not to disturb the feeding fish. If you’re in a boat equipped with a troll-ing motor, use it instead of running your outboard!

Fishing pressure is beginning to be a big issue this time of the year. With most of the anglers wading and pre-fishing for upcoming tournaments, you can bet there will be someone in a spot where your want to fish, especially if it’s one of the more popular spots in Baffin.

Cathead, East Kleberg and some of the other well-known areas that have been known for big fish will be congest-ed always. If you’re in one of the more popular spots and fish don’t seem to be biting, don’t throw in the towel too early. When you decide on an area to fish, give it time. I sometimes see a fisherman pull into an area to fish and get out of his boat. If he is not catching anything in a short while, he will get back into his boat and leave to try another area. It’s impor-tant to fish an area thoroughly. This time of the year your cast-to-catch ratio is probably going to be 300 to 1.

In the product section this month is something that every angler must have if they are wading in fridge water of the La-guna Madre. My Simms waders are by far the most important item on the boat dur-ing the winter months. They are the toughest, driest, and most comfortable pair of waders I have ever owned. Layer-ing up with Simms clothing and finishing out with your Simms waders, you will be assured that you can with stand Mother Nature’s hashish conditions.

To schedule your next bay fishing trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Al-ready booking for the 2015-fishing sea-son. Good luck and Good Fishing.Young racer

Submitted to Construction News

Brandon Anderson, son of Dealers Electrical Supply Corpus Christi branch manager Chris Anderson, is a super star on the outlaw go-kart racing circuit.

Sponsors are always appreciated! –cw


Half or Full Day Fishing Trips

All Bait, Tackle & EquipmentFurnished

Your catch Filleted andBagged for You

Furnish your TPWD FishingLicense & Refreshments,

and WE DO THE REST!Ken Milam Guide Service(325) 379-2051

www.striperfever.com

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS . . .any outdoor activity or sport.

Email to:[email protected]

or call 210-308-5800(home office)

Family affairSubmitted to Construction News

Lupe Leal, Terracon project manager, went hunting recentlywith his three daughters in Los Ebanos, TX. –cw

Ken Milam’s Fishing LineSince 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8

AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com

I have been a fishing guide since 1981. I have fished thousands of trips and met jillions of fine people. For the most part things go well, but not every time. Some-times people can mess up their own trip without even trying. Here are some tips to help you always get the most out of your guided hunting or fishing trips.1. Give your guide some lead-time. This is especially important if you need a trip during a high demand time like spring break or summer vacation. Remember, if you know about a good guide, there are probably a couple of thousand other people that have his phone number too. The further you can plan ahead, the better chance you get the day you want.2. It is never a good idea to change the game plan with-out advising your guide. It is understandable that the number of people in your party might change between the time you book a trip and finally get to go. Tell your

guide so he can have what is needed for your trip at hand or help you make other arrangements. If you find you are running late, let your guide know.3. Don’t show up to your fishing or hunting trip stink-ing drunk. Nothing spoils a good time like having to wag a semi-conscious hunting buddy all over the pas-ture with you. Find out what your guide’s policy is re-garding alcohol. If it is permitted, be sure you have a designated driver so you don’t have to sleep it off in the guide’s back yard.4. Try not to bring too much stuff. When you are on a guided trip you need to be able to move around well and not be hindered by gadgets, excess baggage and monster ice chests. Ask your guide what you need to have with you.5. Keep an eye on the weather, not the weather where you live, but the weather in the locale where you will be fishing or hunting. Every year we see a lot of people bail out of the truck looking like they came to the wrong party. Weather is not just what happens to you on the way to the car. When in doubt, call your guide. You can be sure he will know what to expect because his very livelihood depends on him knowing what direction the

How to get the most from your guide

wind is coming from.6. If you are an experienced hunter or fisherman it’s okay to share your stories with the rest of your party. Just don’t be a know-it-all. When you hire a guide, you are getting a chance to learn from his experience. Ev-eryone does things in their own way and you are sure to pick up something useful if you just keep your eyes and ears and your mind open.7. Don’t expect the guide to discipline your children. If your kids are disruptive and disobedient, they may not be ready for a guided hunting or fishing trip. Most guides enjoy getting to work with kids because it’s fun to see them have a good time and learn something new, but your trip is still serious business. Just remember you hired a guide, not a babysitter.8. Last but not least…tipping. If your guide has done a good job for you, reach in your pocket and tip the man. Your tip will be much appreciated and will let him know he did you a good job. Try not to ask your guide to give you back $2.50 in change. C’mon! In short guides are people too. We want to do the best job for you that we possibly can if you will let us.


The buck stops hereSubmitted to Construction News

L-R: Carson and Connor Schultz both harvested their first buck this season.(Capt. Steve Schultz’s sons (Steve Schultz Outdoors)

Carson’s deer was a straight up six-pointer weighing 165 lbs.and Connor’s deer was an eight-pointer weighing 175 lbs. Both deer wereharvested in McMullen Co. Way to go boys! Made Dad Proud!! –rd

In the past three decades, MK Marlow Company has transitioned from gen-eral contracting to drywall and from

Victoria to San Antonio. As an assistant in woodworking classes at Texas A&M University in Col-lege Station, Mark Marlow and a fellow teaching assistant leapt at the opportu-nity to build a new television set a local station. Just like that, in 1985, Design Construct was born. In 1987, the company relocated to Victoria. At the time he left school, Mar-low had his bachelor’s in construction science and was six credits away from a double master’s in land development and construction management. As a general contractor, Design Con-struct did so much ceiling and drywall work subbing for other local general con-tractors in Victoria that Marlow added a second company, Acoustics Unlimited. That proved to be the beginning of the

A Mark-ed difference

drywall company as it grew and kept growing. In 1995, Marlow bought out his partner and everything reincorporated under MK Marlow. In 2008, Marlow opened a San Anto-nio office, and in 2010, the company con-solidated its operations to San Antonio. Marlow still commutes from Victoria, di-viding his time between traveling for work and being at home with his wife, Jackie, who is a retired medical techni-cian, and his 17-year-old daughter, Alex. After Alex graduates from high school, Marlow and his wife will move to a ranch they own in Bandera. Marlow credits his vice president, Todd Thomas, with running the compa-ny, seeing to the day-to-day operations. He emphasizes that he has no complaints – except, he notes, laughing, he used to the youngest person in the company at 22, and now he’s the oldest at 53. –mh

A team in business and in the field – literally – Mark Marlow, president and CEO, and Todd Thomas, vice president, have had many triumphant hunts together.

SEND IN YOUR OUTDOOR PHOTOS AND STORIES - SPORTS, VACATION TRIPS, OUTDOOR HOBBIES, HUNTING, FISHING

Supplying needed helpConstruction News ON LOCATION

Step right up for a friendly welcome and experienced help at Contractors BuildingSupply Company in Corpus Christi. Ready to help are, L-R: Luis Sepulveda,

Kim Lunsford, Ryan Wallace, Wayne Gill and Zach Gatti. –cw

TexasStyle

San Antonio Austin South Texas Houston South Texas

www.constructionnews.netpublishing the industry’s news

Passing the testConstruction News ON LOCATION

Milo Rivas, Kimberly Cardenas and Jeff Thrasher keep the testing non-destructiveat Hi-Tech Testing in Corpus Christi. Hi-Tech provides conventional and advanced

NDE services, as well as API inspection. –cw


Cupid has discarded his wings and arrows and re-placed them with a hard hat and a hammer in this month’s Valentine’s feature, Couples in Con-

struction. It takes a certain strength to make a relationship work that encompasses not only family life, but spills over into the work life that feeds the family. These couples have not only found that balance, they’ve excelled at it. Side-by-side, these couples are tackling life together in every way. –cw

Cupid takes aim at construction industry

GP7 Construction: Steve and Mary Parra Garza, pic-tured at Charro Day in Brownsville, have just celebrated five years of marriage on Dec. 19, 2014. GP7 Construc-tion has just completed four years in business. The cou-ple’s blended family includes five children.

AG/CM: Married for 33 years, Gail and Derwood An-derson own AG/CM, a professional construction man-agement and estimating firm in Corpus Christi. AG/CM was established in 1996 and as a couple, they have joint-ly managed the firm for nine years. Derwood and Gail celebrate their free time with their two sons, Byron and Austin.

Largin Construction: Billy and Jerry Jo Largin will cel-ebrate their 10th wedding anniversary in October. The couple started Largin Construction Services in Corpus Christi in 2009. Between them, they have five children and five grandchildren.

Victoria newlyweds Kristi and Neal Stevenson were married in October. Kristi is President and CEO of ABC Mid Coast, while Neal is a Vice President at NewFirst National Bank, where he is heavily involved in the con-struction industry. Between them, they have four chil-dren.

Daryl and Lydia Johnston have been married 10 years this past September. They met on the job 14 years ago when Lydia worked for Daryl for four years. She was an NCCER Boilermaker and eventually became a Timekeep-er. They have one son together, Daryl Jr. AKA Bubba. Da-ryl is currently area manager for Ohmstede, and Lydia was the office manager for TEAM Inc. in Beaumont.

Ken and Melissa Lester were married July 27, 2001 and own Lester Contracting Inc. in Port Lavaca. Ken took the company full-time in 1996 when his father retired and Melissa has worked there since 2002. Between them, they have three children and one granddaughter.

Newlyweds Genell and Steve Seekamp were married in June. Genell is the executive officer of the Builders Association of Victoria and Steve is a manager at Sher-win-Williams. Between them, they have five children.

On the left:Buffalo Construction: Alfredo (Freddie) Jr. and Es-meralda Guerra have built Buffalo Construction into a Weslaco company that has over 100 contracts. The Guer-ras have been married for 22 years and have four chil-dren.

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Construction Safety

Cultural transformation:Establishing safety aseveryone’s core value

Chris Williams, Safety DirectorAssociated Builders & Contractors Inc.Arlington, VA

Consider these two safety vision statements:- “On every project, at all times, safety is our top priority.”- “We make NO compromise with respect to morality, ethics, or safety. If a de-

sign or work practice is perceived to be unsafe, we do not proceed until the issue is resolved.”

Both sound great on the surface - “at all times, safety is our top priority” and “we make NO compromise”. Yet, they re-flect two distinctly different safety cul-tures, which show in their overall safety performance. Consider that, for the company where safety is a priority, their Total Re-cordable Incidence Rate (TRIR) is a full two times the national average for a con-struction company of their size and work type. The TRIR for the company that doesn’t compromise on safety, and won’t proceed until safety issues are resolved? 0.20. That’s 95% below the industry aver-age. The simple reason behind why com-pany A and company B have such vastly different safety numbers lies in how leadership and, as an extension, their employees, perceive safety. When safety is perceived as a priority, it means that

other priorities - schedules, cost over-runs, etc. - can move ahead of safety. When safety is a priority, the emphasis on performing work safely, every single time, without exception, lags or is shunned completely. A safety climate is established - one that changes constant-ly and one where safety is important only when things are going well. A true world-class safety culture - one where a near-miss, let alone an inci-dent, is considered as a failure to be rem-edied immediately and learned from to prevent it from occurring again - places safety as its core value, upon which every decision, big or small, is based. The foundation of that culture is leadership’s uncompromising commit-ment to achieving a zero-incident jobsite and unwillingness to waver from safety as their core value. The structure of a world-class safety culture comes from the total belief, by ev-

ery employee, that not only is every inci-dent preventable, but that each employ-ee is responsible to their safety and the safety of those around them. Sounds great in theory, but what about when you have 150 employees on five different jobsites and superinten-dents with three distinctly different lead-ership styles? Or, how about, as with Company B (where they don’t compro-mise on safety and won’t perform the task until it’s completely safe), with 4,000 employees worldwide? Transforming your culture isn’t as difficult as you may think. Again, it all starts with the CEO and senior leader-ship’s commitment to sending every em-ployee home in the same, or better, con-dition than which they arrived, and ex-hibiting that commitment to all employ-ees. That causes a trickle-down effect - regional managers and superintendents see this commitment to safety as the core value and, regardless of leadership style, begin to use it with their crews. Focus re-wards not on the number of hours worked without a lost-time incident, but individuals who stopped work when they recognized a hazard or who helped a fel-low employee safely tie off. In short, ev-eryone is responsible for - and account-able to - each other. Take the Alcoa example; when Paul O’Neill (who would later become Trea-sury Secretary under President George W. Bush) took over as CEO in 1987, he stated unequivocally that his core value was a zero-injury workplace. He needed to change the culture.

Because of O’Neill, the automatic routine at Alcoa became that, for any in-jury, the unit president had to report it to the CEO directly within 24 hours and present a plan to ensure that the type of injury never occurred again. If you em-braced the system, you were promoted. Floor employees became supervisors; su-pervisors became directors; directors be-came vice presidents - if they committed to zero injuries and embraced the routine of making sure you learned everything possible from them to prevent them in the future. What happened next was astonish-ing - not only did Alcoa’s safety program change from reactive to proactive, but its entire culture shifted - the keystone safe-ty habits O’Neill instituted built new cor-porate habits that streamlined the com-pany’s manufacturing process and in-creased profits (and employee salaries). Transforming a safety culture from one where safety is a priority to one where safety is THE core value doesn’t have to be difficult; it just takes commit-ment and instilling the importance that each team member not only performs their duties safely, but also watches out for their coworkers. It’s about creating a sense of family, building relationships among our employees so that everyone understands that safety isn’t about the individual, but the people and our fami-lies that we work and live with. It’s an in-terdependent effort, and one that, as we’ve seen in the examples above, can be achieved no matter the company’s size. –cw

What are the major risks in con-struction?

The major risks in construction are the focus four: falls, electrical, struck-by, and caught-in-between.

What are ways to identify and reduce risk? Identify and reduce risks by conduct-ing job hazard analysis, proper educa-tion/training of employees and have ev-ery employee have the authorization of stopping the job if they see a risk.

Stop the job for safety risks

Eliazar Flores and Abel Moya, OwnersAmerican Safety Consulting

Harlingen, TX

How important is a good safety record in the construction industry? Companies with great safety records hold everyone in the company account-able for safety: from the owner to man-agement to the employees. Allowing ev-eryone to be a competent person, having proper training and taking OSHA 10 & 30-hour classes. This makes all employees happy and eager to perform on the job, thus fewer accidents, no OSHA citations, and lower insurance rates. In the end, it in-creases the ability to secure job contracts.

What can be done to increase safety awareness and create a safe working environment? Taking care of each other by commu-nicating. Many employees see a hazard, but don’t communicate it to other em-ployees or other trades. This is when an accident happens. It only takes a second for an accident to happen. It also only takes a second to communicate and pre-vent the accident.

What safety programs are available? There are several types of training programs. We recommend doing re-search on what is best for your company. There is the OSHA.gov website to find free information on training and free classes as well.

What kind of training is available? We provide the OSHA 10 & 30-Hour classes in Construction and General In-dustry, American Heart Association First Aid/CPR/AED certifications, equipment training (forklift, aerial lifts, heavy equip-ment, etc.) and specialized meeting and training in the office, warehouse or on the jobsite.

American Safety Consulting has over 30 years combined experience in construction, oilfield, and general industry. Eliazar Flores and Abel Moya (both OSHA Outreach train-ers) have gained the respect and recogni-tion of being true professionals in the health and safety field. They provide the highest quality of service through job-site inspec-tions & safety training. –cw

NEXT MONTHJANUARY 2015

Construction Education

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Jan: Construction ForecastFeb: Construction SafetyMar: Construction Education

Apr: Women in ConstructionMay: Concrete IndustryJun: HVAC & Plumbing

July: Electrical IndustryAug: Service ProvidersSep: Green Building Trends

Oct: Specialty ContractorsNov: Architecture & EngineeringDec: Construction Equipment

2015Schedule


Victorious in Victoria

Thursday, Jan. 22 was the big night for the members of Associated Builders and Contractors Mid-Coast

Chapter (ABC). A great turnout for the 32nd annual Installation of Officers and Awards Ban-quet was seen at Victoria Country Club, where guests dined on medallions of beef, shrimp and had fun socializing. Master of Ceremony was Craig Lauger, Lauger Companies Inc., Ste-phen Turek, Hall Electric Company Inc. and Jared Tomanek, K&T Construction Co. Inc., took the guests on a trip through the past year and an overview of the year to come. Incoming 2015 board members are Jared Tomanek, chair; John Burgman; Jim Johnson; Bill Johnston; Ken Lester; Scott Lewis; Randall Ruiz; Steve Seekamp; Tom Stocker; Stephen Turek; John Wallace, Mike Weaver and J.R. Hartman Jr. Congrats to the winners! –cw

2014 STEP Awards

Diamond LevelISC Constructors LLC

Lauger Companies Inc.Miken/Brock Services LLC

Repcon Inc.

Platinum LevelMirage Industrial Group LLC

MMR Constructors Inc.Weaver & Jacobs Constructors Inc.

Gold LevelMK Marlow Company LLC

Turner Industries Group LLC

Silver LevelDon Krueger Construction Co

Regional Steel Products

Regional Steel, Silver STEP Award

Star Recruiter of the Year: Greg Domstead and Lynda Parma,representing JR Hartman, VCS Companies

Turner Industries, Gold STEP AwardDon Krueger Construction; Silver STEP Award

Chapter Ambassador: Bill Johnston, Lauger

Chapter Champion: John Wallace,DeTar Health System

Mirage Industrial Services, Platinum STEP Award

Brock Services, Diamond STEP Award

Incoming 2015 board members including, L-R: Stephen Turek, Bill Johnston,Randall Ruiz, Jared Tomanek, John Wallace, Jim Johnson, Ken Lester

Lauger Companies, Diamond STEP

Chapter Commemorative Award:Jodie Turek, Hall Electric

C.E.O. Challenge: Lauger Companies Inc.

Front left: Jon Fisher, president of Associated Contractors and Builders Texas, joined the fun in Victoria from headquarters in Austin.

The ABC staff brought off the evening without a hitch. L-R: Heather Zamykal

- chapter bookkeeper; Kristi Stevenson - president/CEO; Jennifer Sneed - Plans Room

coordinator


Round-UpAssociation CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

AGC- South Texas

Associated General Contractors

Feb. 5-6: AGC/TBB Safety Meeting

AIA - Corpus ChristiAmerican Institute of Architects

Feb. 17: Lunch N Learn, Water Street Sea-food Company, 309 N. Water St., 5:30pm social, 6pm meeting.

ASCEAmerican Society of Civil Engineers

Feb. 10: Corpus Christi branch webinar, 12-1pm. Low impact development by Klotz Associates, Maverick Engineering office

CSCContractors Safety Council

Feb. 3-5: OSHA #2264 Permit Required Confined Space. For more information, contact Betty Birdwell at 3610552-7823 x1207

NAWIC - Corpus ChristiNat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Feb. 17: Dinner/business meeting, public welcome, The BBQ Man Restaurant, 5:30pm networking, 6pm meeting. $20. Contact Vickie Thompson 361-299-6278 or 361-438-0593or check nawic.org or na-wiccorpuschristi.org

TSSITexas Structural Steel Institute

Feb. 13: Quarterly meeting, 8:30am-1pm at CMC Steel Texas in Seguin. Outlook for construction and steel

What is your mostannoying habit?

I have a habit of going into a dreamy state in meetings ... I try and try and try to keep alert and not drift off, but …

Brent Jones, Brent Jones & Associates

My most annoying habit is this 'look' I give people if I don’t understand them or a question they're asking. I kinda screw my face up and frown at them! I know that I'm doing it, it's just a reaction and as soon as I've done it, I think to myself, "oh no, I bet they think I'm really rude now".

Cathy Little, Jamar Glass

I chew at the inside of my mouth when I'm driving, and don't notice until it's re-ally sore.

Maggie Smith, Akers Custom Comfort

My bad habits - being extremely untidy! My house looks like a bombs hit it! Mike Johanssen, Carolina Hardwoods

I'm obsessively clean and tidy at home and people can't put things down with-out me getting rid of them and putting them away. I just want a clean and tidy home, but my friends think that it's bor-dering on OCD lol.

Samantha Tolman,Carolina Hardwoods

I like to do my work at last minute and lastly, cannot do the job better. Although I hate this habit, it’s difficult to change it.

Don Krishneck, MCW Custom Doors

My worst habit is the length of time it takes for me to get ready in the morning. I’m talking two hours!

Alicia Weddle, Lyndon Steel

I can't sit still. And, I am a really touchy person, meaning that I hug people after knowing them for maybe a day. I crack my knuckles a lot. I tend not to listen and or pay attention. I drum my fingers to pi-ano music that I have memorized. Why hasn't anyone killed me yet?

TJ Garcia, Jamar Glass

I am always moving my feet - my wife calls it "bouncing" and apparently it an-noys almost everybody.

Michael Luna, Hahn Construction

Chewing gum. I love to chew gum but I forget sometimes and chew really loudly. My son is always getting on my case.

Sari Johnson, Headwaters Enterprises

I don’t keep my desk at work as neat and clean as I would like. I don’t know why. Periodically, I will go through and clean it all up, but it just builds back up again. It makes me feel really untidy.

Rachel Jacoby, Hahn Construction

I’m a shameless rubbernecker. I’m always the one who slows everybody else down around a wreck.Jeffery Jones, Brent Jones & Associates

Did youknow?

Over 153,000 people couldbe seeing your ad . . .

Advertising inConstruction News works!

Raba Kistner Infrastructure (RKI) has announced the following:

Fitzgeraldo “Fitz” Sanchez, PE, has been hired to serve as project manager II with responsibili-ties for managing the owner verifica-tion services on up to one-half of the TxDOT Energy Sector Road repair project. Sanchez earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engi-neering from Texas A&I University – Kingsville (now Texas A&M University – Kingsville), as well as a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Monterrey, Nuevo León.

Dale B. Martin, PE, has been hired to serve as Materials Engineer III for the Energy Sector Road-way Repair Project. His responsibilities on the project in-clude research and analysis of construction materials test re-sults and approval of test reports for com-pliance with contract service require-ments. In addition, Martin performs ma-terials statistical validation and non-vali-dation investigations of materials and testing performed on the project. Martin graduated from Texas A&M in 1983 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and is a Regis-tered Professional Engineer in Texas.

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continued from Page 1 — Sports bar and grill makes splash

Brandon Rees, SalesCMC ConstructionCorpus Christi, Tx

Industry FOLKS

Some people toil through life having never found their niche. That cannot

be said for Brandon Rees, outside sales for CMC Construction in Corpus Christi. Rees says he always had a knack for building things, and both his father and brother are mechanical engineers. His first forays into careers in the construc-tion industry gave him a good founda-tion for when he found his true calling - sales. He grew up in Corpus Christi and studied finance at Texas A&M. After-wards, he walked into the offices of Bay Ltd. and applied for a job, which he got. While there, he worked as a project co-ordinator for two years. Following that, he was a project manager for six months for a small contracting company. But something wasn’t right. “I’ve always been a people person,” he says. He had met Mike Cantu, sales man-ager for CMC Construction, during his time in the industry and pitched the idea of trying his hand at sales to Cantu one day. “I told Mike I’d like to try sales out and he took a chance on me,” Rees says, with an infectious laugh. Fast forward to January 2015, one year after Rees signed on with CMC, and he couldn’t be happier – and can’t say enough good about his company. “They have given me a lot of op-portunity to grow and prove myself,” he says. “It’s a great feeling. They allow me to solve problems for customers and come through for them. It’s what makes getting up every morning worth it.”

He believes his time as a project coordinator and manager helps him be an effective ally for his customers. His advice to a young person em-barking on life is to keep their eyes on the goal and to remember something his dad always told him – “it’s not how much money you make, it’s about do-ing something you love.” And loving what he does for a liv-ing isn’t all it is about these days for Rees. In January, he married Danielle, the love of his life, whom he has known since they were teenagers. In his spare time, Rees plays the drums at church, works out at the gym, builds computers and likes tak-ing Danielle on dates. He’s also into sports and plays soccer. “CMC is a great company to work for,” he says. “They are not just manag-ers, they are coaches and leaders.” –cw

you’ll meet.” As a staff, the employees enjoy time away from work together in a variety of ways, including happy hours, bowling, hikes and other outings. “No other firm Ive worked with has placed such a high importance on office moral,” De Leon says. “You really do enjoy

coming into work every day.” The firm doesn’t like to be pigeon-holed into one type of work. They have completed over 600 projects, won nu-merous awards and been featured in sev-eral magazines for finished projects, in-cluding the notable McAllen Library. –cw

this new hot spot in the growing town of Mercedes. “Probably the most important ele-ment that I have to consider for the suc-cess in this project was the relationship that existed among the people involved in it,” Tajonar said. “The owner, Pedro Luis Villareal, was always supportive and very involved during the construc-tion. Also I have to mention the active in-volvement of Marcelino Cantu, the archi-tect, who was always making the best suggestions for the better outcome of the project.” Both Pedro and Gabi are from Mexi-co – Gabi is from Puebla, an old, historic town – and Pedro is from Monterrey. The couple moved here with their three chil-dren in 2010. They own four businesses in the out-let mall, including the new bar and grill. They also have two snack shops and a convenience store. The name Tuercas, which means “nut” or “screw” in Spanish, comes from a

nickname Pedro was given in high school by his football coaches. “I was already completely grown by high school and I wasn’t tall, but I was re-ally fast,” Pedro says. “I have a long name, so the coach gave me the nickname ‘Tuercas’.” Although he says he doesn’t care for naming a business after yourself, in this case, Gabi convinced him that people vis-iting from Mexico would recognize the nickname he had been given as a youth and so far, he says, she has been proven right. Stallion Construction is located in Mission, TX, and performs all kinds of jobs related to construction. The company was founded in Janu-ary 2005 and the primary customers of this company are private. The company was founded when the growth in the con-struction business in the area was grow-ing. Since then, the company has been involved in the construction of several projects in the Rio Grande Valley. –cw

Industrial black ceilings, Edison lights and the signature “wave” wall behind the bar give Tuercas Sports Bar & Grill its unique look.

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So, jump in and start exploring. Let us know what you think. As always, con-tact us with your questions, comments and suggestions – you can find that in-formation under the “contact us” tab right at the top.

Valentine’s DaySaturday, February 14

Anderson Machinery Company is a family owned and operated heavy construction equipment dealer-

ship that was started in 1957 by Hudson L. Anderson in Corpus Christi. The com-pany has since expanded to Pharr, San Antonio, Austin, Victoria and Odessa. Although Hudson died six years ago, many family members are still involved, including Jim Anderson, president; Kirk Anderson and Tom Anderson, in the San Antonio and Austin branches; Chris Anderson, territory manager in Corpus; Katie Anderson, Corpus Christi; and Ross Anderson, San Antonio. The company has roughly 100 em-ployees between all the branches. According to Chris, employees have the opportunity to move up through the ranks based on experience. “We do hire from within,” he says. Employees are also given extensive training and continuing education, as well as mandated safety training.

Going strong

Anderson Machinery employees know they are valued at the local company.

“We have weekly safety meetings, we have to get certified with the local safety council and to go into the refiner-ies,” Chris says. “There are multiple levels of redundancy when it comes to safety training in our industry.” Employees are a valued asset. “We value our hard working employ-ees and customers, and each store hosts several events throughout the year to thank them,” Anderson says. That includes annual parties, hunting trips and fishing excursions. Customers and relationships are also high priority. “Considering that we are down here in South Texas, it’s local people you are dealing with,” Chris says. “If you don’t have good relationship with your cus-tomers, then you don’t survive. We pride ourselves on enduring relationships.” This past October, the company hosted its first Customer Appreciation Open House in October. –cw


Aric Stocks greets customers with a warm smile on a chilly morningat Baker-Hughes Wireless in Victoria. –cw

Warm upConstruction News ON LOCATION

Vickie Thompson and Ana Shaffer are making sure things run smoothly at Dixie Pipe Sales in Corpus Christi. Thompson is well known for her involvement in National

Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). –cw

Pipe up!Construction News ON LOCATION

Briggs Equipment began operations in Mexico City. Its roots can be found in 1896 when two men, J.C.

Weaver and C.H. Briggs had a single vi-sion to create a successful industrial ser-vice company. In 1952, Charles Sammons acquired the company and in 1996, Briggs Equip-ment became a separate working opera-tion of Sammons Enterprises Inc. Accord-ing to Corpus Christi branch manager Liz Cantu, it quickly became one of the larg-est and most successful members of the Sammons family. In 1999, the South Texas operations opened its doors for business. The company is committed to giving back to the communities where employees live and work, from helping wounded war-riors to making a child’s wish come true. “As a group, our Corpus Christi branch sets aside time for company pic-nics and activities to create and increase culture and camaraderie within the

Better at Briggs

branch,” Cantu says. “Briggs makes a sub-stantial donation to our local food bank on a yearly basis. In the past, we have par-ticipated in family bowling nights, Beach to Bay Armed Forces Run, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, barbecue cook-offs and cus-tomer appreciation barbecues. In 2015, Cantu says the local branch will increase its cultural events to include a company appreciation day at Whata-burger Field, as well as more customer appreciation events. “We are currently planning an open house for our customers and future cus-tomers to have the opportunity to come look at and evaluate our rental yard and shop,” she said. Besides Cantu, Keith Iraggi and Rob-ert DeLa Garza are outside sales reps. Briggs also offers training and lead-ership schools to all employees who wish to continue their education and grow their opportunities. –cw

With welcoming smiles, the crew at Briggs Equipment is ready to serve. L-R: Juan Gomez, Leo Flores, Liz Cantu and Joe Garza

Harold Vexler, Monterrey Iron & Metal, passed away in late Janu-ary in the presence of loved ones.

He was 100 years old. Affectionately known as "Mr. Harold" on the Westside, where he worked from the age of 12, he was the son of Abraham Vexler, founder of Monterrey, and Rose Rosner, both immigrants from Eastern Europe. Every day, he walked to Stephen F. Austin Elementary School with Henry B. and Luz Gonzales. Keen until the end, he remembered the time when we had a town crier. He knew the story of every street and every old building. He was married to childhood friend, Esther Scharlack, for 73 years. They were long-time members of Temple Beth-El and Congregation Agudas Achim. Despite many challenges, he suc-cessfully operated Monterrey since his father's death in 1944. The family busi-ness included his employees and co-workers, as well as the next two genera-tions of Vexlers. He was proud that not one person has ever been laid off for lack of work. He worked steadily until just a few weeks before his passing. Survivors include Esther; sons, Jack and Stuart; daughter, Jill; grandsons, Jeff and David; granddaughters, Jordan and Ruthie, and Tibarek; great-grandchildren, Rosie and Henry B; and many nieces and nephews. –mh

In memoriam

Harold Vexler celebrated his 100th birthday last year.


Cementing the jobConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Chris Anderson, branch manager for Dealers Electrical Supply in Corpus Christi, is a true Texas man.

He was born and raised in Central Texas, with deep roots stretching back for years. When he left for college at Texas

State University in San Marcos, he found a job working for Dealers while obtaining his Bachelor of Business in Finance. He liked the company enough that when he graduated, he stayed. After stints in Georgetown and San Antonio, in 2006 Dealers offered him the opportuni-ty in Corpus. It’s not unusual to see employees at Dealers stick around - at the Corpus branch alone there are three who have been there since the branch opened in 1995: Chris Gomez, inside sales; Mark Roach, outside sales; and Tommy Moore, operations manager. “Dealers takes care of its employees,” Anderson says. “There are very good benefits, opportunities to advance. Your people are your primary asset and that’s their philosophy.” Anderson and his crew also have a healthy attitude about their customers. “We take care of our customers,” he says. “I treat all customers the same – big or small. Every dollar counts.” The branch in Corpus has been so busy that employees are putting in long weeks, so Anderson says they haven’t been able to do employee-centered ac-tivities when off the clock. “Most of the employees want to spend that time with their families, al-though the guys do get together now and then to shoot some pool,” he says.Dealers Electrical Supply is a privately held, employee-owned company found-ed in Waco, Texas in 1946. Presently, Dealers operates through 62 branches in 56 different cities. Anderson is married to Karen, who he met in college and they have two boys, Brandon, 8, and Michael, 6. –cw

Ready to help customers at Dealers Electrical Supply in Corpus Christi are,L-R: Matthew Norman, Dane Roe, Richard Garcia and branch manager Chris Anderson.

Honest dealing

Keeping warmConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Marcos Salinas and David Lopez of Omega Mechanical in Corpus Christi are staying warm by keeping busy on this apartment complex build. The GC is Realtex

Construction from Austin. –cwGary Buckner and Joe Wooten of Carr Construction in Victoria are hard at work

remodeling offices at Texas Concrete. –cw

South Texas Construction News Febuary 2015

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Transcript of South Texas Construction News Febuary 2015