South Texas Construction News March 2015

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Architectural woodworking compa-ny The Hoffman Company has deep roots in Corpus Christi.

Started in 1945 by A.J. Hoffman, the company has been directed by the male Hoffman line, with A.J.’s son Bud Hoff-man as president after A.J.’s death in 1969 to Bryan Hoffman, Bud’s son who has been in charge since 1987. And now, Bryan’s son, Chad Hoffman, who lives and works in the Austin area, is also in-volved in the business. Things have changed in the industry over the years, according to Bryan. “From the 1920s through the 1950s, millwork companies produced every-thing, including moldings, cabinetry, windows, doors and paneling,” he says.

“From the 1960s forward, many compa-nies began specializing in each individual category. Our company is one of a few who remains as a full production mill.” The Hoffman Company is only one in a handful that still covers that broad spectrum of work. “We think our contractors like to have a one-stop shop,” he says. There’s a full mill on site, but the company is anything but run-of-the-mill. The product is of the highest quality. “Our reputation is built and main-tained on our quality of work,” Bryan says. “We are more towards the higher end. That’s our expertise.”

Quality workmanship is still the standard at The Hoffman Company.L-R: Mark Salinas, Mark Mills, Luis Gutierrez, Richard Moran

Bee County Courthouse, Beeville

When Tim Stephens made a ma-jor career change and took over Johnstone Supply from his fa-

ther, Ted, it turned out to be an auspi-cious move for him and the business. His father bought the location in Cor-pus Christi in 1974. At that time, it was called Airtrol Supply Inc. and had been in business since 1947. In 1984, Ted joined Johnstone Supply, a business that started in Portland, OR in 1953. This provided better buying power and allowed him to compete with the larger regional and na-tional competitors. Meanwhile, Tim, who grew up in Cor-pus Christi, had graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in engineering and also from Arizona State University with a

degree in civil engineering. When his fa-ther decided to retire and offered the business to Tim, he and his wife, Holly, decided to take a chance. Since that time, Tim has opened an additional five locations of Johnston Supply in Corpus Christi, Victoria, Pharr, Brownsville and La Feria. It was challenging at first. “Our long standing customers would say, ‘You don’t do things like your dad,’ but times change,” Tim says. “Now, there is a good mixture of young employees who are tech savvy and older employees who know the parts.” The business supplies AC/refrigera-tion service companies and works with

L-R: Carlos Gutierrez, Kirk Bell, Tim Stephens, Jason Gutierrez and Steve Bradshaware ready to help customers at Johnstone Supply in Corpus Christi.

When the City of Corpus Christi needed to replace Fire Station #5, which had fallen into disre-

pair and was undersized, there was a hurdle to be jumped. The new station needed to remain in the same geographical location to ser-vice the existing community, but the city was not having much luck finding a property that could accommodate the needed access of fire equipment and personnel. Enter the Corpus Christi Indepen-dent School District, which owned prop-erty adjacent to one of its high schools, where an abandoned two-story build-ing, previously utilized as the old high school, was standing. The property was large enough to house a new fire station and, with a little planning ingenuity, a second building, a joint use facility, could be erected as well, says Dave Alexander, who along with wife, Kacy, owns Safenet

Services LLC, the general contractor on the $2 million project. The joint use facility contains a class-room available for use by CCISD high school students who want to study fire science. “By determining a curriculum adapt-able to CCISD students and the fire fight-ers, this second building could allow each party to gain valuable student and training space,” Alexander says. “The City could lease the property for minimal costs, the school district gains new stu-dent space, and the neighborhood ac-quires a shining example of modern ar-chitecture.” Fire chief Robert Rocha aims to start recruiting students for the program this spring. “The building allows us to complete these lofty goals we have to capture stu-dents at a young age,” Rocha says. “They The new fire station fits in with the city’s aesthetics, boasting a mural of fire fighters and a

wave of water on one side. To the left is the joint use facility where students from CCISD will be able to learn fire fighting skills.

South Texas Construction News • Mar 2015

Hi-Tech Testing in Corpus Christi does plenty of work in the

oilfields. But that’s not the only reason they have an emphasis on safety for em-ployees. “We pride ourselves on safety, quality, ethics and relationships,” says Jeff Thrasher, operations man-ager/Level II technician. “Those are our core values.” Thrasher explains that the company goes above the mandated safety train-ing – and that extra train-ing is provided by the com-pany. “We require 16 hours of additional training and even more for drivers,” he says. Such emphasis on safety has contributed to the company only having one recordable incident out of 900,000 working man hours in 2014. It also reflects the company’s atti-tude towards getting and retaining good employees. “We groom employees from within,” says Thrasher. Gary Burnfield, an ASNT Level III in RT, PT and MT, who has been with Hi-Tech Testing 9+ years, says employees have the opportunity to advance and are en-couraged to do so. “We want our employees to be driv-en and ambitious. We want them to suc-ceed and move up in our company,” he says. Hi-Tech Testing provides non-de-structive testing to evaluate the proper-ties of any given material, component or

Passes the safety test and more

system. According to Thrasher, it’s an old technology that dates back to WW1 and was started on ships. The technology uses a variety of methods, including radi-ography, to examine objects such as pipelines. “It’s a broad inspection field,” Thrash-er says. “Basically, anything that holds pressure or holds weight.” Customer service is key, Thrasher says. “We want our customers to say, ‘Those techs from Hi-Tech are the best guys we’ve ever had on a job,’” he says. “We meet face to face with employees and customers in the field to make sure everyone is happy.” –cw

Gary Burnfield and Jeff Thrasher uphold Hi-Tech’s core values of safety, quality, ethics and relationships.

Jodie and Jeanette Turek created a successful family business in 1967 when they purchased Hall Electric

Company in Victoria from Bud and Mar-garet Hall. And in 2014, the next generation, their children, Stephen Turek and Stac-ey Rather, assumed ownership of the company DBA Hall Lighting and Design Center. Except for the paperwork it’s nothing new for the two – Stephen has been in the business most of his life, and Stacey remembers going to the buyers market in Dallas with her mom as a child. And mom and dad are still very active in the com-pany. “Dad is here every day,” Stacey says. “And we call mom the “Pink Lady” be-cause she is a volunteer. She still runs cir-cles around the warehouse employees.” The company has roughly 38 em-ployees and their work consists of 45 per-cent commercial, 35 percent residential

and 20 percent service. Besides the ownership change, the company has evolved from a small elec-tric company with two trucks and a small building to the current location – a 40,000-sf facility with a beautiful show-room. Stephen and Stacey credit their fa-ther’s business sense and vision for mov-ing the company north. “When we moved to the second loca-tion, next door to the current location, it was in the middle of a cornfield,” Stephen laughs. Many of the employees have been around to see the changes taking place. “We like to consider it a family envi-ronment,” Stephen says. “Everybody helps each other.” Stacey, who is responsible for grow-ing the showroom since her return in 1998, says customer satisfaction is goal number one. “Our name is on the business,” she says. “We take pride in that.” –cw

Employees with more than 30 years of service with the Turek family include, front,L-R: Susan Coker (who was celebrating a birthday, hence the crown), Doris Strelczy and

Shirley Burriss; and back, L-R: James Novosad and Glen Kuecker. –cw

The Hall way

Mike Holland, new chief operat-ing officer at The Marek Compa-nies, has been with the compa-

ny for 31 years and says the company’s culture towards employees encourages long-time retention. Holland will be headquartered in Houston. “Some of this started with the three original Marek brothers and their desire to share the company and its success with the employees,” Holland says. “We don’t look at people as a short-term in-vestment. We look at them as a long-

New COO at Marek Companiesterm investment. I’m an example of that.” Holland will oversee the operations for the award-winning specialty subcon-tractor’s offices in Houston, Dallas-Ft Worth, San Antonio, Austin and Atlanta. “We selected Mike to provide the leadership and sustainability for our overall operations as we position the company for continued growth through-out our markets over the next decade,” said Stan Marek, president and CEO of the Marek Family of Companies. “Hol-land, a proven leader with over 40 years

of experience in the construction indus-try, has served the Marek Companies as the Houston Division president for the last 31 years.” In addition to his role with the com-pany, Holland, who is married and has three children, currently serves on the boards of several industry organizations, including the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Houston Chapter, American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Houston Chapter and the Con-struction Career Collaborative (C3). He is a member of the Texas A&M Construc-tion Industry Advisory Council and is in-volved in the community as a board member of the Greater Houston YMCA, the Foster Family YMCA and Covenant House Association. He says the company’s long- and short-term goals remain focused on strength and growth. “In the long-term, it’s really about the quality of people we find to grow from top to bottom,” Holland says. “In the short-term, it’s about sharpening the saw. Making sure everything we do is aimed in the right direction. The market is constantly changing and we want to make sure we are in the right place doing the right things.” –cw Marek is a 77-year-old private, family-owned specialty interior subcontractor that provides both commercial and residential construction services to major office, retail, healthcare and institutional clients.

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Sited at UnitedConstruction News ON LOCATION

Sylvia Hay, inside sales rep, and Heath Breedlove, branch manager, make sure everything is in order for a busy day at United Rentals in Karnes City. –cw

The New Year brought some big changes to the leadership at HOLT CAT, and in early February, the

equipment and engine dealer announced that Bert Fulgium has been appointed vice president of product support for the company’s Machine Division. Fulgium is taking over for a veteran at HOLT, Ron Craft, whom Fulgium calls a “legend builder,” who recently announced his retirement from the company. Before moving into his new role, Fulgium served as vice president of product support for HOLT CAT’s Power Systems Division. “I’m very excited about the opportu-nity to serve our customers in this new capacity,” says Fulgium, noting that he has been on the engine side of the com-pany for 13 years. In his previous position, Fulgium esti-mates that 80 percent of their business came from the oil and gas industry. On the machine side, instead of dealing with just engines, he is leading a group that deals with a diverse group, including cus-tomers in road construction and the min-ing industry. Having grown up in Beckville, TX, Fulgium originally started out as an in-strument and electrical (I&E) technician. He then moved into supervision and management in the oil and gas industry. From there, he took on a business devel-opment role for a couple of years. Around that time, having attended junior college for a short time after high school, Fulgium decided to return to school in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree in business administration, which he earned from LeTourneau University in Longview. He later earned his master’s degree from Texas A&M University-Com-merce. He began his career at HOLT CAT in 2002 around the time the company ac-

quired Darr Equipment Co. He started out as a local service manager in Longview. A year-and-a-half later, he was promoted to regional service manager. Five years ago, he was promoted to product support manager, and then he became vice presi-dent of product support on the engine side. Along with his team, he has worked on building new engine rebuild facilities, which, he adds, have been wildly success-ful, and they started national generator maintenance contracts. He states that a lot of good people have contributed to his success at HOLT CAT. In his new role, which he describes as being part of the sustainability and growth efforts, leadership and the culture of the company will be keys to success. He maintains that a lot of great things are al-ready at work, and he just has to continue to provide leadership for a great team. At 47, Fulgium’s passions outside of work include his family and bow hunting. –mh

Bert Fulgium has taken on a new role at HOLT CAT as the vice president of product

support for the Machine Division.

Another new leader rises at HOLT

The Fossati family can trace their roots in Victoria back to the “Maca-roni” Railroad, built between 1882

and 1900, and so called because many of the laborers were Italian. The railroad connected Rosenberg to Victoria. David Fossati, vice president and manager of City Plumbing Supply, says his great-great-grandfather, Frank N. Fos-sati, a stone mason, came to the United States from Italy and made his way to Texas to work on the state capital. When that job was not ready to begin, he made his way to Victoria where he worked on the railroad. The origins of the family-owned business are a little closer to present day. Frank L. Fossati, David’s grandfather, started Victoria Plumbing Company in 1928. From that beginning, David’s fa-ther, Xavier Fossati, and two of his brothers, Frank A. and Gregory L., oper-ated that business. In 1963, Xavier opened City Plumbing Supply on his own. In 2002, Victoria Plumbing Company

Roots run deep

The Fossati family can trace its roots in Victoria back several generations. Front, L-R: Beth Fossati and Xavier Fossati; back, L-R: Dan Fossati, David Fossati and Tim Fossati.

was closed. In 1986, the current location was built and five years later, the original store was closed. Today, the business is still very much a family affair with Xavier Fossati, presi-dent, and still active; and his children, Beth Fossati, secretary; Tim Fossati, purchasing agent; Dan Fossati, show-room consultant; and David. Many of the 10 employees are long-term. David believes that is because the company is thorough when it comes to hiring. “When we hire, we are careful,” he says. “We like to hire people we know or know of. We are like a family. When some-body needs something, there is help.” The company is successful and long-standing due to service and knowledge, David says. “We strive to give good, friendly and quick service,” he says. “The combined knowledge we can offer sets us apart, as well.” –cw

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Specializing in Industrial Scrap Metal& Container Service

We buy Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Iron, Stainless Steel,Steel, Brass & Radiators

2300 Frio City Rd. 210-927-2727 www.monterreyiron.com

‘Plum’b helpfulConstruction News ON LOCATION

City Plumbing Supply in Victoria has a friendly crew of knowledgeable employees ready to help. L-R: Kenneth Fishbeck, Alex Cavazos and Tim Fossati –cw

Invisible exclusions, part IIIThe new (04 13) additionalinsured endorsementsCharles E. Comiskey, Sr. V.P.Brady, Chapman, Holland & Associates, inc.Houston, TX

There are three potentially significant issues with the new (effective April 2013) additional insured en-

dorsements. The new endorsements (1) exclude the sole negligence of the additional insured party, (2) po-

tentially limit the amount of recovery, and (3) according to some insurance companies and their agents and brokers, are required to be used in place of the older, broader-in-scope additional insured endorsements.

#1. The Sole Negligence Problem The ISO CG 20 10 endorsement pro-vides coverage for on-going exposures only. No coverage is provided for com-pleted operations. The ISO CG 20 10 04 13 states that coverage is provided to the additional in-sured “only with respect to liability … caused, in whole or in part, by:1. [insured’s] acts or omission ; or2.. he acts or omissions of those acting on [insured’s] behalf in the performance of on-going operations.” Sole negligence of the additional in-sured would not be “caused, in whole or in part by” the downstream named in-sured, hence coverage is no longer pro-vided for the additional insured’s sole negligence. The ISO CG 20 37 endorsement pro-vides coverage to the additional insured for completed operations exposures. As with the CG 20 10, the CG 20 37 10 01 in-cludes coverage for the sole negligence of the additional insured, and the CG 20 37 04 13 excludes the additional insured’s sole negligence. If additional insured status including coverage for the sole negligence of the upstream party is needed, use of the fol-lowing wording is recommended: Addi-tional insured status shall be provided in favor of [Upstream Parties] on a combina-tion of ISO forms CG 20 10 10 01 and CG 20 37 10 01.#2. The Amount of Recovery Problem The April 2013 endorsements in-clude three new provisions:

1. The insurance afforded to such addi-tional insured only applied to the extent permitted by law; and2. If coverage provided to the addition-al insured is required by a contract or agreement, the insurance afforded to such additional insured will not be broad-er than that which [the named insured is] required by the contract or agreement to provide for such additional insured; and3. If coverage provided to the addition-al insured is required by a contract or agreement, the most we will pay on be-half of the additional insured is the amount of insurance: Required by the

contract or agreement; or available un-der the applicable Limits of Insurance shown in the Declarations; whichever is less. The first change is inserted to permit the additional insured endorsement to apply to the many various state laws af-fecting the provision of this coverage. The second change is clearly intend-ed to make the agreement the control-ling document with regard to the intend-ed scope of coverage (i.e., for what expo-sures coverage is granted). The third change is problematic as it can limit the amount of coverage pro-vided, depending on how the construc-tion agreement was drafted. And keep in mind that these same terms are being incorporated into many excess liability policies as well as the primary general li-ability policies. If you are a downstream contractor (i.e., a subcontractor or a sub-sub), the more limiting wording works to your benefit. If you are an owner or upstream contractor, the broader wording works to your benefit.#3. The “Required to Use” Problem The April 2013 editions of CGL addi-tional insured endorsements are now in common use, and many insurance com-panies are firmly stating that they must be used and the older endorsements providing broader coverage are no lon-ger permissible. This statement may be true within a particular insurance com-pany, but is absolutely not true within the insurance industry. The CG 20 10 10 01 and CG 20 37 10 01 additional insured endorsements re-main readily available to qualified con-tractors. New, small or residential con-tractors, or contractors with insurance agents or brokers that cannot access qualified insurance carriers, will likely not be able to get them.Charles E. Comiskey, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, CRM, PWCA, CRIS, CCM, is Sr. V.P. of Brady Chap-man Holland & Assoc. and is National Chairman of the Construction Insurance Practice Group of RiskProNet International, the 5th largest brokerage organization in the U.S. He can be contacted at 713.979.9706 or [email protected].

Use JPM to trackproductivity during jobsLane Gorman Trubitt PLLCDallas, TX

Poor productivity can spell disaster for a construction project. Unfortunately,

traditional measures of productivity are applied after the fact, so they do little to help contractors spot issues during a job — while there’s still time to do some-thing about it. To help contractors monitor produc-tivity during jobs, ASTM International (formerly, the American Society for Test-ing and Materials) developed its Job Pro-ductivity Measurement (JPM) standard. Adopted in 2010, the standard enables contractors to measure productivity throughout a job and address productiv-ity issues as they arise. It also alerts con-tractors to changes in productivity rates, serving as an “early warning system” for potential productivity problems down the road.

Output vs. outcomesRather than focus on output — such as the amount of concrete poured — JPM looks at outcomes. Output measures the amount of effort expended or materials installed, with little regard for the quality of the results. It obscures unproductive activities, such as repairs, rework or out-of-sequence work. JPM, on the other hand, analyzes work performed relative to actual con-struction put in place — that is, work product that’s acceptable to the custom-er. By measuring outcomes based on the transfer of value to the customer, JPM of-fers a more accurate picture of productiv-ity in terms of actual progress toward contract completion. It also provides a more reliable meth-od of measuring percentage of comple-tion. By tying it to construction put in place, JPM allows a contractor to make progress billings based on value provid-ed, regardless of the amount of cost in-curred, which can improve cash flow. This method tracks nicely with upcoming changes to accounting rules,

which tie revenue recognition to the completion of performance obligations.

Putting systems in place To make JPM work, you must have systems in place to measure, in ASTM In-ternational’s words, “observed comple-tion of the project as accepted by the customer.” You need to break down the contract into tasks, assign cost codes to each task and create a budget that as-signs labor hours to each activity that contributes to the finished product. In addition, when relying on regular reports from workers in the field, you must track the observed percentage of completion for all activities (typically, weekly). Then, you need to compare those results against the actual hours de-voted to each activity. Errors, repairs, rework and inefficient processes hurt a construction company’s productivity. Rather than discover these issues in a “postmortem,” consider im-plementing JPM. By providing ongoing feedback on problems that hurt produc-tivity, it gives you an opportunity to cor-rect problems during the course of a job — enhancing your performance, cash flow, and ultimately, your profitability.

About Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLCFounded in 1950, Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLC (LGT) is one of the largest certified public accounting firms headquartered in the Southwest. Dedicated to serving the middle 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 special-ized services. In an effort to expand the ser-vices provided to valued clients, LGT has launched three affiliated companies, LGT Financial Advisors, LLC, LGT Insurance Ser-vices Inc. and LGT Retirement Plan Solu-tions. To learn more, visit http://www.lgt-cpa.com.

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Architects in Austin

Getting suppliedConstruction News ON LOCATION

Ernie Rodriguez of Bay Ltd. picks up supplies at Contractors Building Supply Company in Corpus Christi. –cw

More than 130 architecture professionals, associates and students visited Aus-tin on Feb. 10 for Advocacy for Architecture Day at the State Capitol on Feb. 10. The American Institute of Architects South Texas Chapter (AIA) was well

represented. –cw

A IA-CC members Jacqueline Carlson, president; Connie Rivera, TxA director; and Sheldon Schroeder, past director, visited the office of State Representative J.M. Lozano.

Sheldon Schroeder, Philip Ramirez and Chris Minnickwait outside of Senator Juan ’Chuy’ Hinojosa’s office.

Employers use noncompetition & nonsolicitation agreements to limit poaching of key employeesShelly Masters, PrincipalCokinos Bosien & YoungAustin, TX

Between the demands of the surging construction market and the increasing scarcity of construction

labor in the Texas workforce, employers face a heightened risk of losing key employ-ees to poaching by competitors. Because key employee retention is critical to the overall success of a company, a growing number of employers are seeking ways in which to keep key employees satisfied, limit lateral movement and prevent others from hiring away talented workers. Thanks to recent Texas Supreme Court rulings, well-drafted noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements offer a viable form of relief for employers.

Noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements are not synonymous. Non-competition agreements aim to prevent an employee from working for another employer in a competing business while nonsolicitation agreements preclude so-licitation of another in some form or fash-ion (e.g., by preventing a departing em-ployee from calling on the employer’s customers or clients or preventing an-other company from soliciting the em-ployer’s workforce). Nonsolicitation agreements may also be used by a com-pany to prevent another company with whom it has entered into a contractual relationship (such as a general contractor or subcontractor) from soliciting its em-ployees. Covenants not to compete and so-licit are governed by Section 15.50 – 15.52 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code. By statute, a covenant is enforce-able if: (i) it is ancillary to or part of an oth-erwise enforceable agreement at the time the agreement is made; (ii) it contains reasonable limitations as to time, geo-graphic area, and (iii) the scope of activi-ty restrained does not impose a greater restraint than necessary to protect the goodwill or other business interest of the employer. If the primary purpose of the agreement to which the covenant is an-cillary is found in an employment con-tract, the employer has the burden of es-tablishing that the covenant meets the statutory criteria. Prior to recent Court opinions, the judiciary frequently found noncompeti-tion agreements to be an unreasonable restraint on trade. Texas courts enforced only narrowly tailored noncompetition agreements. Under prior law, employers were often unsuccessful in obtaining in-junctive or other relief against the em-ployee. The Texas Supreme Court has made it easier for employers seeking to restrict key employees from competing post-employment. Now, trade secret informa-tion and specialized training are not the

exclusive forms of employer-generated consideration necessary to enforce non-competition and non-solicitation agree-ments. These opinions have recently been extended to contracts with inde-pendent contractors as well. The key to enforcement now is that these types of provisions must be rea-sonable and not impose a greater re-straint than necessary to protect the em-ployer’s interest. The provisions must state a duration of time, geographical area to be limited, and scope of activity to be restrained. Courts have generally held reasonable geographic restrictions include the territory in which the em-ployee worked and performed services for the employer, the area in which the employer does business, the physical lo-cation of the employer’s customer or cli-ents, etc. The shorter the time period, the more likely the covenant will be en-forced. If the provisions are indefinite or without appropriate limitations, a Court will likely find them unreasonable and unenforceable. Because Texas has become more fa-vorable to employers than it has been in the last two decades, employers should audit existing and prospective employ-ment agreements, incentive plans, prime contracts and subcontracts to determine whether to incorporate covenants not to compete, solicit or hire employees and/or customers and other provisions to pro-tect confidential information and trade secrets. Poorly drafted provisions can lead to unwanted surprises for employ-ers who wrongfully believe they are rely-ing on solid agreements with enforce-able language. Shelly Masters is a Principal in the Aus-tin office of Cokinos Bosien & Young. She represents clients in the areas of construc-tion, labor and employment, commercial and products liability law. Cokinos Bosien & Young has been representing the con-struction industry for over 25 years. She can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (512) 615-1139.


Joe and JeanneElizondo, Owners

GreenwoodArchitectural Doors

Corpus Christi, TX

Joe and Jeanne Elizondo have opened many doors in their lives … some of them were harder to open than oth-

ers, but in the end, this couple has opened the doors to opportunity and fulfillment in the coastal bend of Texas. As the owners of Greenwood Archi-tectural Doors in Corpus Christi, hard work and good business decisions have led the couple to a place where they can enjoy their grandchildren, enjoy traveling and enjoy helping their customers find their perfect door to open. The photos lining the walls of Joe’s office tell stories about his life filled with adventure. There are many photos of Joe with celebrities – and especially celebri-ties in the boxing world, where Joe once was a Golden Gloves champion. Framed shadow boxes tell another story – of Joe’s life as a U.S. Marine, in-cluding three Purple Hearts. To say Joe is tough is an understate-ment, but he’s also the life of the party – never meeting a stranger. Jeanne comes from Dutch stock – her flashing green eyes and red hair tell the story of a Dutch mother who taught her daughters how to be strong and smart.

How did you two meet? We met on New Year’s Eve in 1971 at a party. They always say when you get to know somebody on New Year’s Eve, you will be together forever. We believe that! We knew the minute we met that we would be together. We got married in 2003 at the Vati-can in Rome. It is one of our favorite trips.

Tell me about your early lives? Jeanne: I was born in Odem, TX and grew up in the Los Olmos Community and attended school in Skidmore-Tynan. Joe: I was born in Kingsville and lived there until I was four. At that time, I moved to Corpus Christi to live with my mother, Isaura. Joe attended W.B. Ray High School where he was active in boxing. He went on to win many competitions as a young

man boxing in Golden Gloves tournaments. Soon after, Joe joined the United States Ma-rine Corps and was sent to Vietnam. He was adopted by his stepfather, Pete Elizondo, who was a lumber craftsman.

You have a blended family, right? Jeanne: I have three children. Drew, 47, is a parts specialist for an auto dealership in Hutto; Annette Mayne, my daughter, is a human resources manager, and my son Gary owns two busi-nesses (one is a hotshot service called The Dutchman, named after my mother) and the other is First Impressions. Joe has two children, Jose, 47, who is a manager for HEB and Kathy Rosso, who is an ad-ministrator for a childhood development center.

What about grandchildren and great-grandchildren? Jeanne: There are a total of 13 grand-children and two great-grandchildren – and two more great-grandchildren on the way!

Jeanne, tell me about how your father met your mother? My father, Tirso Moreno, was a WWII vet. He met my mother, Hendrina Ger-trudes Janssen, while he was stationed in

Holland. A group of soldiers went out one night and they met up with some lo-cal girls at the market square. They got married in Holland in 1945. She moved here before he returned home. It was hard for her, living in Sinton, TX and not knowing any English or Span-ish. She communicated with hand sig-nals. But she learned both within one year. She could speak five languages, as well as read and write them.

She sounds like she was smart and tough. Yes. There were nine children and the girls took after her. Joe always says you can’t change a Dutch woman – they are known to be stubborn.

Joe and Jeanne Elizondo have built a good life together.

She taught us to be good in life, to respect and love each other. She taught us how to cook. She was a classy lady and very beau-tiful.

Tell me about Joe’s service to his coun-try. Joe was an E5 sergeant. In Vietnam, he was a tunnel rat. (During the Vietnam War, “tunnel rats” infiltrated the Viet Cong’s extensive underground system of complexes. Tun-nel rats were sent in to kill any hiding en-emy soldiers and to plant explosives to destroy the tunnels. The tunnels were very dangerous, with numerous booby traps and enemies lying in wait.) He went into one of the tunnels and saved two or three Marines that were trapped in the tunnel. Joe was shot three times. The last one brought him home, he was shot in the neck (jaw area). He did his own tra-cheotomy in the field. He knew that if he wanted to live, he had to do this. He is highly decorated, and received the Bronze Star.

What happened after Joe came home? He was working fulltime selling cars and had started a part-time business making hand-carved furniture. There is a piece he made for the Tex-

Joe Elizondo was a Golden Gloves champion. He is fifth from the left.

as governor at the time. He learned a lot from his father, Pete. He also learned a lot from his grandmoth-er – she was very feisty and a good businesswoman. The original shop was on Greenwood Street, that’s where the name comes from. It was just a little shop, about 1,000sf. He sold lumber and doors and was also still working at the car dealership. Because of his near-death experi-ence, Joe came back with a differ-ent definition of what living life meant.

What happened after you joined in life and in the business? Jeanne: When we joined, Joe and I started working to

make things better. Within a year, sales were tripled and in 1993, we moved to a larger building. We moved to our current location in 2010 – we wanted to downsize a little and the economy was down. We are getting older. We might like to retire in a few years.

What has made your business success-ful? Jeanne: I like my customers to be pleased. You have to listen to your cus-tomers, that’s the most important thing. I’m very hands-on and I remember their names. I always try to make them feel at home. I want them to be happy. The door is the first impression peo-ple get of your home, so when people see our doors on homes and businesses, they ask about it. We get a lot of word-of-mouth business. Customers are the ones who really own your business. Without them you can’t survive.

What do you like to do when you are not working? We like to travel. We’ve been all over Europe and the states. Of course, Joe traveled all over when he was in the mili-tary. We like to attend our grandchildren’s sporting events. They are all playing some sport all the time so you have to take turns. We stay active in their lives. One of our grandchildren has ex-pressed an interest in learning the busi-ness. He is majoring in business and col-lege. He helped me set up our website and accounting systems. –cw

Jeanne Elizondo gives her full attention to a customer on the phone.

Photos of celebrities with the Elizondo’s decoratethe walls of Joe’s office.


BAFFIN BAYLAGUNA MADRE

LAND CUT

SPECKLED TROUT

REDFISHFLOUN DER

FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

STEVE SCHULTZOUTDOORS, LLC

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

[email protected]

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

Spring outlook lookspromising

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, Simms Products,

Pure Fishing, Mirr-O-Lure, ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products and Columbia Sportswear.

For the last several months I’ve been fishing with my fingers crossed, not so much for the fishing luck but for what our water conditions have been. So

far this year the waters of the Upper Laguna Madre (ULM) and Baffin Bay Complex have been in great shape and free of any algae blooms, even with the extreme low tides we had during February. I hope I’m not speak-ing too soon, but just maybe the winter rains we had will be enough to keep our bays clear through the spring and summer months.

As we enter into March, we start seeing the early stages of our spring weather patterns. Hopefully, cold fronts will just be a change in our wind directions and a slight atmospheric temperature change. Surface bait activity should be more present as our water temperatures should be steadily rising and nearing the 70-degree mark. I guess it’s time to break out the topwater lures and get ready for some explosive surface action. There

Cameron Zelnik (5) of Katy, TX caught this sheephead on his cast last month during an outing with Capt. Steve Schultz. As

you can tell from the picture, he was one proud angler.

are several pointers I will give you to help you be a bet-ter angler when throwing surface plugs. Not every game fish can be raised with a popping plug, of course, but most can’t resist the temptation to blast what ap-pears to be a helpless meal - even if they have no idea just what it is. That even applies to fish that aren’t hun-gry. Presentation is key when working surface baits. On calm mornings I tend to use smaller baits than I would if it was windy. Work the bait with a side to side action and a slow retrieve with frequent pauses. On winder days move up to a larger plug such as a Top Dog or She Dog and be a little more aggressive with your retrieve and less frequent stops or perhaps none at all. Try different retrieves of rhythm to find what works best on that giv-en day. Another tip that will be very useful when fishing surface baits, is to not try and set the hook to quickly when you see the fish hit the lure. Lots of times they will miss or short strike on the first pass only to come back and hit it again. Once you find the tempo your target fish wants, it could make for some explosive action. Also, those who say top water lures only work in early mornings and late evenings, have obviously never given them a solid effort during mid-day wades.

In the product section this month while we are on the subject of top water baits, I would recommend using the line of baits produced by MirrOlure. They offer one of the largest selection of floating and slow sinking bait in the industry. Top Dogs and She Dogs both come in sev-eral sizes to meet all fishing conditions along with Catch 2000, Catch 5 and MirrOdine lures. All these lures come in an assortment of colors and patterns which are as-sured to catch fish. Look them up on the web at www.shopmirrolure.com or your nearest tackle retailer.

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]. Still have several days open in March although summer is filling up quick. Good luck and Good Fishing.

TexasStyle

San Antonio Austin South Texas Houston South Texas

www.constructionnews.netpublishing the industry’s news

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE


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 . . .

Email to:STeditor@

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or call Cyndi210-308-5800(home office)

They started the long 150-mile trip on Feb. 5 in Edroy and slowly wound their way to their destination, the

San Antonio Livestock Show & Rodeo, ar-riving on Friday, Feb. 13. The Corpus Christi-based South Tex-as Trail Riders Inc. has been in the busi-ness of trail riding to San Antonio since 1959. This year marks the 56th anniver-sary. Raffles and the ride itself help raise funds the non-profit organization uses for scholarships and other charitable do-nations. Photos taken from the side of Hwy. 181 south of San Antonio. –cw

You know it’s rodeo time…

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

Spring is almost upon us and the weather is getting nice. The water is getting warmer and the fish are

starting to stir. March is my favorite month of the year to fish; you really don’t know what you will catch with each cast. This is because the warmest water is in the shallows and this is where the baitfish will be along with multiple species start-ing to spawn. Largemouth and crappie are finally moving back into the shallows and this is a great time to take the kids fishing. How many of you have memories of going fishing with your dad or granddad sitting on the bank with a cane pole catching perch or crappie? Those memories very likely took place during the spring or ear-ly summer, during this pattern. The best part about spring fishing is that you don’t need a boat; all you need is a hook, some bait, and some water. Rather it is a pond in your subdivision or Lake Buchanan there is a good chance that you can catch something and create memories in the process. Spring is also the time of year when you can catch some trophy sized blue catfish. I can remember one trip I had some years ago when we were fishing shallow with big baits looking for big spawning female stripers and we found

one. As I started to turn the boat to chase down the big fish another rod bent over and started screaming out drag, I thought oh boy we have two big stripers and was getting ready for the rodeo. We contin-ued to chase down and land the first fish, an 18 pound striper, and then we turned and started after the second fish. We could see it throwing a wake 100 feet off of the side of the boat, our adrenaline was pumping because we knew it had to be a potential lake record striper, and then all of a sudden I thought I saw it roll-

Spring fishingby Max Milam

ing. Well stripers don’t roll and I knew we had a catfish that we all would remember for the rest of our lives. After about twen-ty minutes we finally landed a 48 pound blue cat. It just goes to show you even the guys that do it for living can make new memories this time of year. On your next day off grab your fish-ing gear, or call your favorite guide. Load up the kiddos, a friend, or a neighbor and go make some memories. I see stories ev-eryday where some lucky fisherman catches a fish of a lifetime, and many

times it is caught in a place where the people that “know” what they are doing would never suspect a fish like that to be lurking. If nothing else you will have spent some quality time with good com-pany enjoy a beautiful spring day in the great outdoors.

Max Milam (son of Ken Milam) has been running fishing trips for several years at Lake Buchanan. Max is a graudate of Texas A & M, with a degree recreation, parks and tourism.


Mascot extraordinaire Submitted to Construction News

Pugsly, the pug, came to the

office every day while he was

the specialmascot for

EGV Architects in Hidalgo. –cw

Fore the winSubmitted to Construction News

At a recent Durolast golf tournament in Galveston, team McAllen ValleyRoofing came in first place with a score of 59 against 23 teams from

all over the United States and Canada. Congrats!L-R: Daniel Lakstins, Brian McSteen, Roel Cantu, Pat Roth –cw

Up on a roofSubmitted to Construction News

There were a lot of volunteers that joined in to help the Harlingen Rotarians build the first Habitat for Humanity home in Cameron County.

Puente Roofing donated the materials and labor for the roof. –cw

www.alamocrane.com

San Antonio (210) 344-7370Austin (512) 282-6866Toll Free (800) 880-0134

From El Pasoto Beaumont,Amarillo to Brownsville

Alamo Crane is equippedto handle any petroleum

related work in theEagle Ford Shale.

35 Years of Service to Texas

Installing walkwayon sand silo in

Eagle Ford areawith our new

120-ton Liebherr

Transportation hub

Fulton-Coastcon is working on this project in Corpus Christi that will become the new home for the Regional Transportation Authority there. –cw


McAllen Valley Roofing was inducted into the 2014 Durolast Century Club for outstanding achievement in quality workmanship, customer satisfaction and goals achieved. Congrats! –cw

In the club

Chilly dayConstruction News ON LOCATION

Aaron Martinez stays warm by keeping busy for Malek Inc. in Corpus

Christi. –cw

Construction News JOB SIGHT

Tennis anyone?Construction News JOB SIGHT

Ramon Tamayo, of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, stands in front of a job site in Karnes City. The finished project will be an 8,924-sf transportation, maintenance and

technology facility; tennis courts; and a 448-sf restroom/concession building. –cw

The Corpus Christi National Women in Construction

Association (NAWIC) held their local Block Kids Building Program on Jan. 31 at Jones Ele-mentary. The Block Kid pro-gram introduces chil-dren to the construc-tion industry and is open to all children in grades one through six. Thirty-nine stu-dents from Jones Ele-mentary and Holy Fam-ily Catholic School participated. –cw

Winners 1st place: Paul Klaus, Jones Elementary

By the blocks

NAWIC members participating included, front, L-R: Cathy Beaudin, Vickie Thompson and Lisa Huerta; back, L-R: Patricia

Livas, Teresa Salman-Smith and Darlene Lee Omana

Winner Paul Klaus with his project

2nd place: Desirae Sanchez, Jones Ele-mentary3rd place: Christian Arriaga, Holy Family4th place: Tiana Ramos, Holy Family


Construction Education

NEXT MONTHApril 2015 Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue

Call for Ad SpaceReservations

• San Antonio• Austin • Houston• Dallas/Fort Worth• South Texas

(210) 308-5800Women in Construction

Look for a good education foundation

Mike Holland, CPC, AIC, PresidentAmerican Council for Construction EducationSan Antonio, TX

When most people think about con-struction education, the first thing

that comes to mind is training for the skilled trades – plumbing, electrical, equipment operator, steel erector, etc. These are important elements of the in-dustry. Just as important are the senior managers, executives and business own-ers who create the opportunities to work in the industry and invest their money and manage the risks to their investment (the company’s equity). This element of the construction industry needs more than the training of the skilled tradesman – they need education, that element pro-vided by colleges and universities that provides the foundation upon which to build and lead a successful business. Through American Council for Con-struction Education (ACCE), the industry has developed the ability to create the foundation (there’s that word again – a construction-appropriate term for this ar-ticle) for new graduates to begin their

career in the management of the con-struction process, to grow their experi-ence and ability to combine the many parts and teams of skilled folks and busi-nesses to deliver that safe, on-schedule, on-budget project, protecting the equity of the company from the many risks that threaten every construction project. There are many colleges and univer-sities across the country that offer 2-year, 4-year and master degrees in the build-ing sciences, construction management, construction science and management that prepare the graduates to manage the process. Other degrees that are tan-gent would include construction engi-neering, architectural engineering and construction technology and other de-scriptors. Engineering is more focused on the design of the project, whether a building, highway, residential develop-ments, a bridge or a utility. The building sciences are focused more on managing the constructing of the project; this re-

quires a broad basis of the technology of building as well as the business side of the process; engineering does not give the graduate that element. A degree in the building sciences in-cludes education in these competencies: estimating; scheduling; safety; project management; construction law; commu-nications, both written and oral; con-struction accounting; basic construction methods and materials; surveying; ethics in the construction industry; and the fun-damentals of business: accounting; eco-nomics; business law; and principles of management and more. Regardless of the level of college degree (2-year, 4-year, or master degree), the foundation that a college degree provides the graduate the starting point for advancing their career. With the downturn in 2007-2011, the media caused many parents and high school students to steer clear of the con-struction industry – a sad situation. Though the industry did slow down, it is not one that can be exported, like com-puter programming, architectural and engineering efforts, to lower wage coun-tries – construction and the management of it has to be on-the-ground, at the site. The industry is now suffering from a worker shortage on many levels, includ-ing the construction management grad-uates. This “hole in the pipeline” of new graduates is now impacting many com-panies that need the continuum of man-agement talent in their organizations to

continue that flow of quality manage-ment and leadership development for the successful succession in the years ahead. Today, the shortage of new grad-uates in the construction management arena is causing companies to struggle in filling their teams with the talent they need. A career in the building sciences, construction management, construction science and management professions provides the opportunity for young graduates to begin a very rewarding ca-reer – more than money – the chance to be part of creating in every community, state and country and supporting the lo-cal economy, health and education, and environment for that community. During one’s career, one can look at what they created – not alone - with a team of other professionals, skilled tradesmen and oth-er local leaders and be proud of where their career has taken them. Education will provide the opportu-nity – the foundation; a person’s capabili-ties will take them toward their calling and the success provided by this special industry – construction. Get that foundation built and see where you take your career.

The mission of ACCE is to be a leading global advocate of quality construction education; and to promote, support, and accredit quality construction education programs. –cw

Hands on experience is key

Glen O’Mary, Director of EducationConstruction & Maintenance EducationFoundation (CMEF)La Porte, TX

What type of training is available at your organization?

CMEF provides formal craft training, skills upgrade training, soft skills training, customizable corporate training, and fast-track training. The Foundation con-sistently seeks new training avenues to assist members and contractors with their changing needs in today’s construc-tion environment. A new program we have developed – the Commercial Jump Start Training Program - is a great example of how we are able to fill a need that is the direct re-sult of contractors requests for fast tracked, module based learning. By keeping our training model flexible, we are able to meet a wide range of contrac-tors’ needs quickly and efficiently. How has construction education and training changed over the years? Previously, the training model of for-mal semester-based craft education fit the bill for most contractors. While this train-ing model is still applicable, today we have a ‘perfect storm’ brewing in the industry.

We are blessed to have a healthy in-dustry with new projects that have either broken ground or are coming down the pipeline in short order. However, we have a shortage of men and women in the field to build these projects. A shortage of skilled labor has a domino effect for everyone – delayed projects and higher costs are most ap-parent. CMEF is working on many levels to help alleviate this problem, from high school programs that educate young people about the opportunities in con-struction, to reaching out to veterans and the un- or under-employed to demon-strate the rewards of a career in construc-tion. Because of the industry’s critical worker shortage, CMEF is focusing on specialized, industry-based, fast-track training options that benefit the employ-ee as well as the employer. How important is “hands on” training? The “hands on” component is crucial, and should be a part of every program. You can sit with a student in a class-room and teach him or her the funda-

mentals of welding for hours, but it is not until that student actually stands at a welding booth and is able to physically experience the welding process that he or she gains a true understanding. Hands on experience is the key to success. It is this reason that we offer Per-formance Verifications at the CMEF cam-pus. We assist craft professionals by ob-serving their skills in a trade to verify that they do in fact have the correct skills to complete a task – not only correctly, but also safely. What are ways to attract young people? The first step is to improve the con-struction industry’s image and properly convey the many opportunities available. We, not only as an industry but as an entire community, need to let young people know they have more options available to them after high school. Un-fortunately, many young people are led to believe that a four-year college degree is the only option if they want to be suc-cessful. Not all high school students want to go on to college and they need to know about careers in construction. We feature success stories on our website at www.cmefhouston.org of men and women who went through our training program, built their career in construction, and today are highly suc-cessful individuals. We have also been very successful in expanding our outreach to high school campuses. Just a few years ago, we part-nered with a handful of high school cam-puses. Thanks to our state legislators who

supported and passed House Bill 5, as well as the efforts of our Schools Program Director, Dr. Steven Horton, today I am proud to say that we are partnered with 30 high school campuses and continue to grow that number. One of the goals of the Schools Pro-gram is to provide students with the op-portunity to explore the many facets of the construction industry and the career opportunities available. A second goal is to give CTE teachers resources and new connections to current happenings in the industry, providing them with opportunities to meet industry leaders, and become aware of the numer-ous job opportunities for their students. A third goal of the program is to en-courage industry participation from the very companies who will seek to fill con-struction positions. How important is recruitment at high school and college level? As mentioned before, it is very im-portant to create awareness about indus-try opportunities and recruit students into the industry at the high school and college levels. These recruitment efforts help de-velop a long-term pipeline of future in-dustry professionals and exposure of our industry. It is never too early to educate young people about the industry and built envi-ronment around them. Many of our contractor members par-ticipate at the middle school level of edu-cation – working to foster lines of commu-nication with young people early on. –ab


Stars were out in the Valley

Structural Steel ProductsPipe, Tubing, Plate & SheetsMetal Building MaterialsOrnamental Iron & AccessoriesCast Iron SpearsFittingsDecorative Castings & DesignsWeldersWelding Supplies & AccessoriesPower ToolsAbrasivesShop & Safety SuppliesPaint & MachineryTrailer ProductsAccess Control ProductsGate & Door HardwareGate Operators–Farm/Ranch Residential/Commercial

210.431.0088 Toll Free 800.725.4776

Fax 210.431.0701www.sss-steel.com

2042 W. Thompson @ Port San AntonioSan Antonio, TX 78226

Pipe BollardsPrecut – Painted

6-5/8” OD X .188 wall X 7 Ft

Who needs to go to Las Vegas when you can go to the Associ-ated General Contractors – Rio

Grande Valley (AGC-RGV) 2015 Installa-tion of Officers and Construction Awards banquet and be magically transported there? For the guests at the annual event at Casa Grande Convention Center in Ran-cho Viejo on Friday, Jan. 30, the music was great, the food was wonderful and after all the awards, the gaming was on! Emcees Perry Vaughn, AGC-RGV president, and Tré Peacock, president of the board, kept things moving along for the crowd.

General contractor of the Year: GP7 Construction Inc. General Contractor Safety Superintendent of the Year:Rocky Poovey, SpawGlass Contractors Inc.

Safety Pays Award: SpawGlass Contractors Inc.

Superintendent of the Year:Phillip Cortez, Peacock General Contractors

Associate Subcontractor Member of the Year:D&F Industries Inc.

Associate Supplier/Service Member of the Year:GC Steel & Accessories LLC.

Architectural Firm of the Year: Eddie Vela/EGV Architects Special architectural award to Carmen Perez Garcia,honorary AIA and executive director of LRGV-AIA

SIR Award: Terry Ray

2015 incoming board, L-R: Perry Vaughn, Chris Hamby, Bill Peacock, Tré Peacock, Jorge Gonzalez, Steve Garza, Roy Garrison, Chris Lowery (not pictured, Robert Bennett)

The chapter presented two special awards. One was the SIR Award (Skill-In-tegrity-Responsibility), presented to Ter-ry Ray, Terry Ray Construction. It is only the second time in the chapter’s 65-year history that the award has been given. The other was to Carmen Perez Garcia, who has announced her upcoming re-tirement from the Lower Rio Grande Val-ley Chapter American Institute of Archi-tects (LRGV-AIA). Congrats to the winners! –cw

Photos courtesy of Frontera Media

Getting their game on!


Round-Up

Association CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

AGC- South Texas

Associated General Contractors

Mar. 18-20: AGC National Convention, San Juan, Puerto RicoMar. 26: AGC/AIA Spring Mixer at Hoege-meyer’s BBQ from 5:30-7:30pm

AIA - Corpus ChristiAmerican Institute of Architects

Mar. 10: Luncheon/CEU Presentation, lo-cation TBD. Program: Upward Acting Commercial Sectional Door Systems.Mar. 26: Chapter mixer at Hoegemeyer’s BBQ from 5:30-7:30pm.

AIA - LRGVAmerican Institute of Architects

Mar. 26: Member meeting

CSCContractors Safety Council

Mar. 17-20: OSHA #3095 Electrical Stan-dards, held in Port Lavaca. Four sessions.

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

Mar. 17: Monthly meeting at the Bar BQ Man Restaurant, 4139 S. IH 37, Corpus. Networking starts at 5:30pm, program is at 6pm and dinner at 6:30pm.

Brian Platfoot has joined Raba Kist-ner, Inc. as corpo-rate health and safe-ty manager for the firm and its subsid-iaries, including 14 locations across the state of Texas, Utah, Mexico and New York. He will man-age the Enterprise-Wide Health and Safe-ty program. With more than 14 years of experience, he has been a regional health and safety manager in the construction and oil and gas industries for multiple companies in Alaska. He earned his bach-elor’s degree in health and safety and his master’s in occupational safety and health from Columbia Southern University.

That was good!Construction News ON LOCATION

David Rios and Richard Shaw head back to work at Affirm Oilfield Services after a satisfying lunch at Partners BBQ in Karnes City. –cw


Safe surface

Daniel Garcia, of Texas No Slip, is working on a Karnes City improvement project.The Bulverde-based company just finished work on city hall and are seen here working

on the front of the police department. –cw

Skanska USA an-nounces that Amie Kromis O’Riley has been named as the diversity and inclu-sion coordinator for the company’s Tex-as region. O’Riley, who is positioned in the Dallas office, will be responsible for internal coordi-nation of diversity and inclusion initia-tives, community outreach and relation-ship development with diverse business enterprises. O’Riley received her Bachelor of Arts degree in corporate communica-tions and public affairs from Southern Methodist University.

This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new orrecently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month,

for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

San Antonio: [email protected] Austin: [email protected] Dallas/Ft. Worth: [email protected] Houston: [email protected] South Texas: [email protected]

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Working sheet metal is in the blood of the current owners of Carey Sheet Metal in Harlingen.

It’s been a family-owned business since John B. Carey Sr. founded the shop in 1948. Now his son, John B. Carey Jr. is president and his grandson, John B. Car-ey III, is vice president. Originating in South Dakota where they worked sheet metal, Carey Sr. trav-eled to Texas with his father when they heard there was work in Hondo. Arriving and finding the job already completed, they kept going until they reached Har-lingen, where there was a friend who had opened a sheet metal shop. There are currently seven full-time employees and the company does 25 percent residential and 75 percent com-mercial work. “If it’s made of metal, we can make it” is the company’s slogan. The family business has held on through good times and slow times, Car-

ey III said, because of several things. “Even during times of heavy con-struction growth, I worked with my smaller customers consistently,” he says. “They will be around during the slow times.” The employees at the company tend to stay, as well. “When we find somebody good, we hang onto them,” he says. “One employ-ee’s father worked here until he retired. Now the son works here and has his whole life.” Another plus for the company is their know-how. “We’ll do the stuff people can’t or don’t know how to – and we get it done quickly,” he says. “Contractors know they can depend on Carey for quality and quickness.” Carey III and wife Pam have three children and one granddaughter. The couple has been sweethearts since high school. –cw

L-R: J.B. Carey, Pam Carey, Ree Lyons, J.B.’s aunt who also works in the business, and her husband, Jim, enjoy the recent AGC-RGV annual banquet.

It’s in the blood



What class would you like to take?

continued from Page 1 — Mill skill

continued from Page 1 — Supplies for South Texas

continued from Page 1 — Getting students fired up

That high-end workmanship is part of why the company has endured through good times and bad. “We have been here so long we have general contractors who we have worked with over and over,” Bryan says. That goes for employees, as well. “We have several third generation employees,” he explains. “We try to keep it a family atmosphere.” Some of the current employees have been there more than 30 years and worked for Bryan’s father, Bud. At one point, four brothers worked there at the same time. There are a couple of families that still have more than one family mem-ber working there. “Old family companies can do that,” Bryan says. The Hoffman Company sits on three acres in downtown Corpus – and that

foresight has been a blessing. As busi-ness has grown, the large lot has enabled the company to expand into seven build-ings on site, rather than moving to a dif-ferent location. The lion’s share of the company’s work traditionally was in Houston, ac-cording to Bryan, but recently that has changed. “This year, it has shifted to Corpus Christi,” he says. “It just so happens that a lot of commercial work is happening here.” That includes an expansion to Texas A&M Corpus Christi, new hospitals and new refineries. “We are proud of what goes out of here,” Bryan says. “My granddaddy taught me if it is worth doing, do it right.” –cw

contractors and subcontractors in com-mercial, residential and industrial con-struction. “We try to make it a one-stop shop,” Tim explains. “We try to keep enough in-ventory that they don’t have to go some-place else.” He understands that retaining em-ployees is key to good business.

“Happy employees equal happy cus-tomers,” he says. To that end, the com-pany offers a bonus package tied to how well the company does. And it seems to have worked: many of the employees have been there for many years. –cw

can graduate from high school as certi-fied fire fighters and EMT’s.” Rocha added that by steering stu-dents into this kind of program, which is a partnership between the fire depart-ment, Del Mar College and CCISD, the kids have a chance to be mentored by established fire fighters, as well as grow into a good career. “I find that when you hire local, you have a more stable workforce,” Rocha says. “These are people who grew up in this community. They are already invest-ed in the community.” The project, which lasted 270 days and was finished in November 2014, en-tailed the demolition of an approximate-ly 25,000-sf, two-story brick facility locat-ed on Leopard Street. The demolition and removal of the initial structure was easy enough, but the location of several of the concrete piers proved difficult, at best, according to Alexander. SafeNet worked with the City and the ISD to locate old utility maps and building drawings. It appeared that there were several utilities that were shared with the old building, and the adjacent high school. Adjacent businesses were also affected by some of the utilities lo-cated within the building site. “Add that to a major thoroughfare to the north, the high school parking lot on the east, school bus parking on the south, and trying to get equipment and materi-als into and out of our construction site during Texas football season, provided some anxious times for all parties,” Alex-ander says. “Coordination was the name of the game.” Upon completing demolition, a new 75 ft. x 92 ft. fire station and a 32 ft. x 33 ft. training facility were erected The new buildings are a tilt wall con-struction with slab on piers and carton forms, bar joists and metal pan decking,

finished with metal studs and sheetrock. The main structure includes an ap-paratus bay, sleeping quarters, kitchen, common gathering area, workout room, showers, office and operation center. The joint use facility is comprised of a main training room, training materials storage area, and men’s and women’s restrooms. Both facilities are furnished by a backup generator. “This project could not have hap-pened without the efforts of several members of the fire department and the school board realizing the benefit to both entities of being able to raze a con-demned structure, outfit a fire depart-ment company with a new modern facil-ity, and construct a joint use facility where both entities are able to learn and enhance their skills and share informa-tion and experiences with today’s youth,” Alexander says. The construction manager was Ken Williams, the superintendent was Rob-ert Cline, the architect was Jay Porter-field of Solka, Nava, Turno LLC. and the engineer was Shane Turno of Freese and Nichols. SafeNet Services LLC is located in Corpus Christi and Corrales, NM and aver-ages seven to eight employees. The com-pany is a commercial and industrial gen-eral contractor in the public sector. Its primary clients are public, state and fed-eral entities. “SafeNet Services has a long and cel-ebrated relationship with both the own-er, the City of Corpus Christi, the architect and the engineer,” Alexander says. “After several projects with these individuals and firms, we all feel comfortable in ex-pressing both ideas and concerns. The addition of the Corpus Christi ISD added one more entity to the mix, but this enti-ty was an old friend to all involved.” –cw

Corpus Christi fire fighters are thrilled with their new digs. L-R: Battalion Chief Kenneth Erben, Fire Fighter Jose Torres, Captain Theodore Vicha, Assistant Chief Joe Gonzales, Fire Fighter

Rey Rabagos and Fire Chief Robert Rocha

Aviation. I’ve always been interested in flying.

Jeff Thrasher, Hi-Tech Testing

Spanish. I’d like to be fluent in it. I’ve al-ways wanted to learn a second language and I think it would be beneficial.

Gary Burnfield, Hi-Tech Testing

Scuba diving. It looks so beautiful.Valerie Frenco, Navy Army Community

Credit Union

I’ve always wanted to learn Chinese. Peo-ple used to think I was oriental when I was young.

Brooke Cruz, Navy Army Community Credit Union

I’d take a culinary class. I watch Food Net-work all the time.Megan Hampton, Navy Army Commu-

nity Credit Union

Golf lessons. Because I suck at it and I want to be good.

Ruben Jimenez,Coastal Bend Fire Protection

Influencing people. It would help me with relationships.

Danny Adkins, Ferguson Enterprises

Flying lessons. I don’t like being a pas-senger, I like to drive. Second, piano les-sons.

Charles Schibi, APEX Engineers

Stand-up comedy class because laughter

is one of the best gifts you can give peo-ple.

Lynda Parma, VCS Companies

I’ve always wanted to take a photogra-phy class so I could capture special mo-ments with my family as well as at work events.Kristi Stevenson, ABC Texas Mid-Coast

Chapter

Architectural history, because it is basi-cally the history of civilization through art.

Jacqueline M. Carlson,Del Mar College

I am currently taking classes online with A&M Corpus Christi and I am five classes away from obtaining my bachelors in business management. This decision im-portant for me because I wanted to first finish what I started when I was young, second to bring value to the company I am loyal to and third, but most impor-tant, to be an example to my kids. The class that I am currently taking is Com-pensation and Appraisal Systems. Believe me, it has taught me things I can really utilize here at my job with my employees.

Elizabeth Cantu, Briggs Equipment

I would have to say getting certified for skydiving solo has always been a dream of mine. I think that falls under the “class” category. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a real estate development class would be interesting as well.

Brandon Rees, CMC


Land standConstruction News ON LOCATION

Billi Rue, partner owner of Cut Antz Land Improvement LLC, holds down the fort while partners Brad Rue and Bart Homeyer are in the field with the crew. –cw

High qualityConstruction News ON LOCATION

Cheryl Stone, an owner in the family-owned Falls City Milling Co. Inc., and employee Tanya Carstens, keep things moving in the office of the Falls City

business that supplies feed, animal, vet and farm and ranch needs. –cw

Slick groupConstruction News ON LOCATION

Caleb Tichavsky, Eric Weaver, Ethan Garcia, Charles White and Chris Green take a quick break from work at PMI Oil Tools in Karnes City for a group photo. –cw

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Associated General Contractors South Texas Chapter (AGC) direc-tor Debbie Schibi says her inspira-

tion for forming a Young Contractors Council (YCC) was two-fold. “I kind of got excited about it at the AGC National Convention last year,” she says. “I sat next to three young men and I was watching them just soak it in. They were so excited to be part of everything. They told me they were part of their chapter’s Construction Leadership Coun-cil (CLC, another name for YCC).” The other part is the importance of grooming today’s young industry profes-sionals into tomorrow’s leaders. “At a board meeting, I looked around the table and thought, “Who is going to be sitting here in the next 10 to 20 years – it’s not going to be us”,” she remembers. The ongoing issue of not enough skilled labor coming into the construc-tion workforce trickles over into the pro-fessional realm as well, Schibi believes. “I got a look at this younger genera-tion coming up and embracing new ideas,” she says. “The industry is chang-ing so much.” The National AGC established the CLC to cultivate the next generation of leaders (age 39 and under) in the indus-try, as well as the association on both the local and national levels. Fired up, Schibi came back to Corpus Christi and ran the idea past the board, which supported starting a South Texas chapter. With the help of Shannon Reyn-olds, Beecroft Construction, and Derrick Seidenberg, Ferguson Enterprises, who sat on the advisory committee, the new AGC YCC chapter was launched last year. “Some of these guys may know AGC, but not at the level of a board member,” Schibi says. “The key is to provide this younger generation with more than just mixers.”Taking charge Stepping into the newly-formed chair of AGC-YCC was Mike Munoz, esti-mator and project manager at Beecroft Construction.

“My expe-rience with AGC is that there is a lot of the older gen-eration estab-lished,” he says. “You would see the younger peo-ple at the events kind of hanging back in the shad-ows. What I appreciate about YCC is it gives us the opportunity to build strong relationships with our peers.” Munoz, who was born and raised in Corpus Christi, received his degree in construction science from Texas A&M in 2008. He got enthusiastic about a career in construction after helping his church build a satellite campus. He spent summers and holidays as an intern at Beecroft, coming on fulltime after graduation. This YCC chapter “is a way to start en-gaging the younger generation in AGC and what they do,” he says. So far, the chapter is on the ground level. “I want the members of the YCC to say that it is beneficial to be a member of this group,” Munoz says. “We are trying to focus on professional development. We will figure out as a group what will be most beneficial.” Munoz has reached out to other YCC chapters across the country to find out what they are doing and what’s working best. Co-chair is Taylor Hunt, Fulton-Coastcon Construction. So far, in 2015, the group plans to have three networking events, two professional and workforce development events and one community service project. Interested in checking out the new-ly-formed chapter? Email Munoz at [email protected] for more details. –cw

Growing the next generationof leaders

Mike Munoz

The YCC at a mixer last year included, back, L-R: Robert Morris, South Texas Building Partners; Taylor Hunt, vice chair, Fulton-Coastcon; Sean Walker, Fulton-Coastcon; Kristin Fletcher, Thyssen-Krupp Elevators; and Charlie Rutherford, CMC Construction; front, L-R: Vanessa

Garcia, Skid-O-Kan; Debbie Schibi, AGC-South Texas executive director; and Mike Munoz, chair, Beecroft Construction.

The group toured the construction site at Veterans Memorial High School in Corpus Christi.


They’ve got what you needConstruction News ON LOCATION

Retail, hardware, farm & ranch, home & garden, electrical, plumbing and metal work can all be located at Falls City Supply in Falls City. Owners Diana and Gerald Jendrusch

invite you to come in and take a look around. –cw

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Can family members work together and still come out friends? It’s an age-old question, but according to

Bibiana “Biby” Dykema, the answer is yes. The present-day Dykema Architects Inc. was founded by James Bright, and his daughter and son-in-law, Bibiana and John Dykema Jr. joined him. The three worked together from 1979 to 2002. “Many people questioned whether three family members could work to-gether and still like each other,” Biby says. “It seemed to work!” The full-service firm has more than 30 years of experience in Corpus Christi. Started in 1958, the firm was known as Christian, Bright and Pennington. In 1979, it became Bright/Associates and in 1983, became Bright and Dykemas Architects Inc. Other principals today include Josh-ua Seahorn, AIA. Community service is important to

the members of this team. “Giving back to the community that has given to us is paramount,” Biby says. “We love our community and want to be a part of helping it grow.” Biby Dykema has served in numer-ous capacities with the Texas Society of Architects, including state director 2007-08. She’s also involved with the Corpus Christi chapter of American Institute of Architects (AIA) where she served as the first female chapter president in 1995. Other boards she has served on in-clude KEDT-TV and United Way. John Dykema has given his time and energy to the City of Corpus Christi, serv-ing on the zoning board. Civic organiza-tions include the Rotary Club, and the Art Museum of South Texas. “Each of our clients is unique and we consider every project a collaboration with the owner,” Biby says. “Our team ap-proach, with the owners’ involvement, is the key to a successful project.” –cw

Dykema principal Joshua Seahorn and his wife Ashley take in the sightsat the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History.

Serving the community

South Texas Construction News March 2015

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Transcript of South Texas Construction News March 2015