build houston magazine • february / march 2014...

Build Houston Magazine • February / March 2014 1www.buildhoustononline.com

2 Build Houston Magazine • February / March 2014 www.buildhoustononline.com

Dear Reader,

2014 has arrived and 2013 is now in the rear view mirror. I would like to extend my thanks to Lohn Zylicz for his service as the Board Chair, all the ABC Board of Directors, members, and staff for a successful 2013.

With the New Year brings many opportunities as well as challenges for the construction industry, it’s a good news – bad news story. The good news is that we are again blessed with a robust business environment that should ensure an abundance of construction work for the foreseeable future. The bad news is that the workforce required to perform the work will be in short supply.

This year, ABC Greater Houston will be focusing on workforce development for both skilled craft workers as well as construction professionals. Efforts are already underway to realign ABC and Construction & Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) to utilize the strengths of both

organizations to achieve the common goals of training, retaining and attracting more workers into the construction workforce. These efforts will be facilitated by the recently passed HB 5 legislation supported and lobbied for by ABC as well as initiatives such as the Construction Careers Collaborative (C3), which streamline the recruitment of young people into the industry.

ABC Greater Houston continues to defend the principles of Merit Shop contracting and free enterprise through both political and issue advocacy. Although the ABC PAC had an outstanding year in 2013 and managed the financial means necessary to support many state and local candidates that stand for ABC principles, we must surpass this effort in 2014 as this will be a very important election year.

Similarly, ABC Greater Houston was one of the largest contributors to the Free Enterprise Alliance (FEA) in 2013 and I expect that this effort to be built upon this year so that we can continue to combat legislation and regulations that are counterproductive to business.Oh, by the way, ABC is going to have some golf tournaments, clay shoots, breakfasts, social mixers and other activities that are fun too. These events are a great way to network and meet others in the construction industry.

We have an ambitious agenda for the year and it will be a great time! Thanks to all who make ABC Greater Houston the greatest construction association in the greatest country in the world. If you are a member and have not been involved - get involved! We need you, and you will make a difference. If you are not a member, I encourage you to join for the same reasons.

To all, have a prosperous year!

Tim RickettsABC Greater Houston ChairmanDirector of Projects, Channel BioRefinery & Terminals

FROM THE CHAIR | A Look Ahead

Mark Your Calendar For The Following Events and Training Opportunities!

Dates above are tentative. Visit www.abchouston.org or scan the Quick Reference Code with your Smart Phone for more information.

FEBRUARY Feb 5: ABC Member Mixer at Brady’s Landing Feb 5: Commercial Blueprint Bootcamp Feb 20: Texas Hold’em Tournament Feb 25: Responding to OSHA Enforcement Efforts Seminar Feb27: CMEFPerformanceVerificationCenter Open House

MARCH Mar 3-6: OSHA 510 Mar 19: Common Bid Mistakes Seminar Mar 27: CMEF State of the Foundation Mar 31: ABC Spring Golf Tournament

APRIL Apr 11: ABC Membership Breakfast Apr 21: Spring Clay Shoot

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Build Houston Magazine 3910 Kirby Drive, Suite 131

Houston, Texas 77098(713)523-6222

www.buildhoustononline.comPublisher/Owner: Associated Builders

& Contractors of Greater Houston Executive Editor: Jennifer Woodruff

Assistant Editor: Katy DriverAccount Manager: Janice Peters

Graphic Design: Jennifer Woodruff

EDITORIAL FEATURES:COVER FEATUREMobley Industrial Services Celebrates 35 Years In Business Learn how Mobley became one of the most well-respected names among multi-service specialty contractors and how their impressive reputation for safety, quality and cost effectiveness gets the job done right the first time, regardless of size or complexity. (P14)

DEPARTMENTS:LEGAL NEWS6 5th Circuit Rejects NLRB’s Decision Prohibiting Class Action Waivers

8 Spoliation On Construction Projects

FINANCIAL NEWS10 Health Savings Accounts in an Affordable Care Act World

INDUSTRY NEWS 12 Performance Verification Center Opens in La Porte

21 Could Construction Boom Lead To Workforce Bust?

SAFETY NEWS16 OSHA 300 Logs: Three Common Questions Not On OSHA’s Website

18 Safety: Happy New Gear!

ASSOCIATION NEWS20 ABC Recognizes 2014 Members

IN THE KNOW24 People On The Move; Special Recognition; Project News & Company News

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

Interested in Residential Construction News? Call the Greater Houston Builders

Association and ask about Houston Builder Magazine at (281) 970-8970.

Aggregate Technologies Inc. .....................17American Mat & Timber Co. .....................17Baker Triangle ..............................................7Cokinos, Bosien, & Young ..........................19Craig & Heidt, Inc .......................................13Efficiency Shoring and Supply ......................4Expertox ....................................................24Ford Nassen & Baldwin .............................11Interface Consulting International, Inc. .....19ISC Constructors, LLC ...................................9

Lee College ................................................23Locke Solutions Precast Division ................28Lone Star College .......................................25Marek Brothers Systems, Inc. ..............13, 25Mobley Industrial Services ........................14Porter Hedges LLP .....................................24Scott-Macon Equipment ............................22Skillforce ......................................................3TCA/The Compliance Alliance L.P. .............27

www.buildhoustononline.com | February / March 2014ABC LEADERSHIP

ChairTim Ricketts

Channel BioRefinery & Terminals

Chair ElectDarlene East

Holes Inc.

Vice ChairMike Holland

Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.

SecretaryWarren Adamson

S&B Engineers and Constructors

TreasurerLeonard Bedell

Mobil Steel International

2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Neil AdamsGilbane Building Company

Brian AndersonG.R. Birdwell Construction

Kerry BennettISC Constructors, LLC

Kevin BordelonZachry Industrial

Billy SpiesKBR

Robert BurelsmithE. E. Reed Construction, L. P.

Sam CraigCraig & Heidt, Inc.

Matt DanielKBR Building Group

Marcus DealCB&I

Matt ElliottSpawGlass Construction Corp.

John GolasheskyTurner Industries Group, LLC

Brandon Mabile Performance Contractors, Inc.

John MarshallSatterfield & Pontikes Constr. Inc.

Rod Molyneau JACOBS

Bob NussmeierKiewit/TIC

Joe Orr Baker Concrete Construction, Ind.

Rodney Page Ref-Chem L.P.

Frank RusichTellepsen Industrial

Wendell RychlikW.T. Byler Company

William SanchezOxford Builders Inc.

Randle ShepherdManhattan Construction Company

Christina StoneGaughan, Stone & Thiagarajan

Henry Villarreal Turner Construction

Ben WestcottAndrews Myers

Mark WilliamsFoster Wheeler USA Corp.

Ronnie WillsAggregate Technologies Inc.

Lohn ZyliczD.E. Harvey Builders, Inc.


The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ushered in the holiday season with a huge present for employers with arbitration agreements. In D.R. Horton, Inc. v. National

Labor Relations Board, the 5th Circuit found that class action waiver provisions contained in mandatory, pre-dispute arbitration agreements governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (“FAA”) are enforceable, notwithstanding the right employees have to engage in concerted activities under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”).

Factual BackgroundThe case involved an arbitration agreement where the parties voluntarily waived all rights to trial in court before a judge or jury. The parties further agreed all disputes and claims would be determined exclusively by final and binding arbitration. The arbitration agreement also contained a class action waiver prohibiting the arbitrator from either consolidating claims of other employees or fashioning a proceeding as a class or collective action or to award relief to a group or a class of employees in one arbitration proceeding. A former superintendent attempted to initiate class-wide arbitration against the company under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) seeking overtime for a class of employees whom he claimed had been improperly classified as exempt employees. The company took the position that the arbitration agreement barred the collective action arbitration. The superintendent then filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB, claiming the arbitration agreement violated the NLRA.

An administrative law judge found the arbitration agreement violated the NLRA because its language would cause employees to reasonably believe they could not file an unfair labor practice charge. The Board upheld the ALJ’s decision and further found

the arbitration agreement violated Section 8(a)(1) of the NLRA because it prohibited employees from engaging in their Section 7 rights to participate in protected concerted activities, including maintaining joint, class or collective actions. The company appealed to the 5th Circuit, arguing the Board’s decision was inconsistent with the FAA and U.S. Supreme Court cases interpreting it.

The 5th Circuit’s AnalysisAt the outset, the court deferred to the Board’s conclusion that the filing of collective actions is concerted activity protected under the NLRA; however, the court said, “To stop here, though, is to make the [NLRA] the only relevant authority.” The court then continued its analysis under the FAA and related Supreme Court cases finding no substantive right to proceed collectively under the FLSA. Consequently, the court found the Board’s decision inconsistent with the FAA, and the FAA does not yield to the NLRA.

The 5th Circuit recognized the FAA’s purpose to ensure the enforcement of arbitration agreements according to their terms

5th Circuit Rejects NLRB’s Decision Prohibiting Class Action Waivers

An administrative law judge found the arbitration agreement

violated the NLRA because its language would cause employees to

reasonably believe they could not file an unfair labor practice charge.

JODON


“even when the claims at issue are federal statutory claims, unless the FAA’s mandate has been ‘overridden by a contrary congressional command.’” The court found no congressional command in the NLRA or its legislative history not to apply the FAA, and the court refused to infer one. The 5th Circuit also noted: “[e]very one of our sister circuits to consider the issue has either suggested or expressly stated that they would not defer to the NLRB’s rationale, and held arbitration agreements containing class waivers enforceable.” Therefore, the court found the arbitration agreement, including the class waiver provision, should be enforced according to its terms.

Although the court upheld the class waiver provision, the 5th Circuit found a violation of the NLRA concluding the arbitration agreement language could lead employees to reasonably believe they were prohibited from filing unfair labor practice charges with the Board. The court based this finding on language in the agreement stating the employee “knowingly and voluntarily waives the right to file a lawsuit or other civil proceeding relating to Employee’s employment....” As a result, the court determined that the company should clarify the arbitration agreement regarding employees’ ability to retain access to the Board.

BT1 9 7 4 - 2 0 1 440

Bob Baker, Founder

acoustical | drywall | eifs | plaster | prefab | stone systems | stucco | bakertriangle.com

Bob Baker founded BakerTriangle 40 years ago and had a deep desire to provide the highest quality workmanship in the drywall and plaster industry. His legacy continues today as a third-generation company dedicated to continuing the values and standards he began so many years ago.

BakerTriangle is structured for quality.

build houston 2014.indd 1 1/15/2014 8:35:43 AM

ConclusionThe 5th Circuit’s decision provides employers with a blueprint regarding language needed for an enforceable arbitration agreement containing class or collective action waiver language. Employers should review their arbitration agreements immediately to evaluate whether they have sufficient class waiver language, and evaluate whether their agreements could be construed to lead employees to believe they were prohibited from filing unfair labor practice charges with the Board. If they find that an agreement could be construed that way, they should take action as soon as possible to make clear that such filings are not prohibited.

Firmwide:124958523.1 800000.1000

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:G. Mark Jodon, managing shareholder of Littler Mendelson’s Houston office, is board-certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mark serves the Greater Houston ABC as one of its chapter attorneys. He can be reached at (713) 652-4739 and [email protected].

Class Action Waivers | LEGAL NEWS


During construction projects, many things do not go as planned—there may be a flaw in the design plans, an undetectable defect in the construction materials,

or installation errors. Those problems might prompt the party incurring the cost of correction to file a claim against whomever is at fault. Whether you are the party making the claim or the one being sued, you must be mindful of the impact your actions during the project can have on your success in the courtroom.

For example, during a commercial project, imagine that the window system or the exterior finish of a building leaks, or that the expansion joint connecting the old foundation to the new foundation has a gap in it. What if the guy wire holding sections of a tower is not properly anchored overnight and causes a tower

to collapse? Or perhaps the exterior insulation system allows moisture to damage other building components.

In those instances, the knee-jerk reaction of the upstream party might logically be to fix the problem immediately. After all, the primary goal of a construction project is its safe, timely, and on-budget completion. However, repairing the problem immediately without written notice and good documentation might actually create bigger problems. The party who suffered harm and wants to file a claim must either preserve the evidence or make the evidence available to all relevant parties, or both.

In the legal field, a party’s failure to preserve important evidence when a lawsuit has been filed or is about to be filed is called “spoliation.” Any party involved in a lawsuit may be guilty of spoliation—either the party bringing the lawsuit, or the party defending itself. Over the years, courts have expanded the definition of spoliation to include instances in which a party destroys, disposes of, or even alters an important piece of evidence. In many cases, this refers to destroying documents. In the construction context, this includes sending the evidence to

Spoliation On Construction ProjectsWhat It Is And How It Can Hurt You...

In the legal field, a party’s failure to preserve important evidence when a lawsuit has been filed or is about to

filed is called “spoliation.” Any party involved in a lawsuit may be guilty

of spoliation—either the party bringing the lawsuit, or the party

defending itself.

SNYDER


the dumpster or scrap yard, demolishing or removing it, covering it up, or repairing or replacing it.

The scenarios described above have all occurred on real-world construction projects and have been the subject of court decisions. In each of those scenarios, the party who suffered harm made the wrong decision— immediately destroyed or corrected or covered up the evidence of the problem without notifying others and giving them time to inspect it. The leaking windows and exterior finish were replaced, the expansion joint was repaired and re-sealed, the collapsed tower was buried or taken to a scrap yard, and the stucco was replaced with brick. In other words, the party bringing the lawsuit engaged in “spoliation.” As a result, the other parties could not adequately defend themselves.

When this happens, courts across the country will try to “level the playing field” by issuing a fine to the wrongdoer, limiting the evidence that he can rely on at trial, or even dismissing the lawsuit altogether. This is true even if the party who destroyed or covered up the evidence did so without bad faith. In the end, the party who “hid” the evidence or failed to preserve the evidence suffers the most harm.

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This issue arises frequently in the construction context. All parties involved in construction projects must realize the importance of preserving evidence and the consequences of not doing so. If you run into such a scenario, you need to call your counsel to be sure you take the right steps to preserve the relevant evidence and the rights of all parties to the potential dispute.

For more information about spoliation, please visit www.porterhedges.com and search “spoliation.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Allison Snyder was born in Austin, Texas and obtained her B. A. from the University of Texas in 1975 and her J.D. from the University of Houston in 1979. Ms. Snyder is a partner in the firm’s Construction Law and Litigation Sections and she maintains an active litigation, arbitration and mediation practice. Her practice includes litigation, mediation and arbitration of construction and surety disputes, construction defect and design defect cases, default and termination claims, payment and performance claims, and delay and inefficiency claims. She routinely represents contractors, owners, subcontractors, suppliers, sureties, lenders, design professionals and construction managers in resolving complex construction disputes.

Spoliation on Construction Projects | LEGAL NEWS


The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has focused a lot of attention on the issue of affordable insurance options, such as Health Savings Accounts (H S A).

H S A’s, created by the George W. Bush Administration in 2003, are investment accounts similar to an IRA or 401(k) in their tax-advantaged status. You or your employer can contribute money on a pre-tax basis, thus reducing taxable income. Capital gains in the account are sheltered from taxes and withdrawals are tax-free so long as they’re used for qualified medical expenses. However, the accounts must be paired with a high-deductible health insurance policy to be valid.

Some 15.5 million Americans are covered by H S A-eligible insurance plans, an increase of 50% since ObamaCare passed, according to the trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). Because insurance is already so expensive and H S A linked policies tend to have the lowest premiums, those numbers are expected to grow.

It appears that Health Savings Accounts will slip under the Affordable Care Act’s threshold for qualified coverage – although just barely. And given the fact that H S A’s are about the only type of health coverage bending down the health care cost curve, they may even thrive. But for those who wanted to ensure that H S A’s would survive the reform, it has been a guessing game.

ObamaCare allows four different levels of health coverage to be offered inside the health insurance exchanges: platinum, gold, silver and bronze. These levels must provide a minimum amount of insurance coverage based on a standard known as “actuarial equivalence.” The bronze level provides the least amount of coverage, 60 percent, when compared to the standard.

The question was whether a high deductible policy that meets the standards set by the 2003 law creating H S A Plans would also meet the 60 percent actuarial equivalency threshold set by ObamaCare. If the contribution to the H S A – which can be several thousand dollars, often paid in part or in whole by the employer – were included in the calculation, there is no question the H S A plans would qualify. But no one knew if the government would allow the H S A contribution to be included.

Roy Ramthun, who handled health policy in the Bush (43) White House for a time and now runs his own H S A consulting company, has recently done the calculations. Given the requirements under

Health Savings Accounts in an Affordable Care

Act World

ObamaCare does give health plans a little wiggle room…plus or minus 2 percent. That wiggle room allows

some federally qualified H S A plans with the highest deductibles (around $6,000) to barely meet the ObamaCare standards, according

to Ramthun.

CHRIST TAYLOR

INSURANCE


the H S A law, federally qualified high deductible coverage comes very close to the bronze requirement of 60 percent.

ObamaCare does give health plans a little wiggle room…plus or minus 2 percent. That wiggle room allows some federally qualified H S A plans with the highest deductibles (around $6,000) to barely meet the ObamaCare standards, according to Ramthun.

This is great news for two reasons. First, employers have been increasingly shifting to H S A’s. A recent Towers Watson/National Business Group on Health survey found that 66 percent of large companies (1,000 employees or more) offered employees at least one account-based plan option this year, and that number is expected to grow to 80 percent next year.

The second reason is that H S A plans slow the growth in health care spending. A 2012 study from the Rand Corporation, a policy research institute, found that families with consumer-directed health coverage spent an average of 21 percent less the first year after switching from traditional coverage. And if half of those with employer-sponsored coverage were in such plans, health care costs would fall by $57 billion.

H S A’s encourage people to be value-conscious shoppers in the health care marketplace, just like they are in every other sector of the economy, and could very well thrive in an ACA world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Christ Taylor Insurance is an Employee Benefits and Insurance Brokerage firm doing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-time ABC member. We provide solutions to small and medium size companies in the areas of Healthcare and other Benefit programs, as well as Life Insurance and Retirement Plans. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.christtaylor.com.

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We are proud to represent the builders of the world in virtually every sector of the construction industry including commercial, infrastructure and energy.

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Health Savings Accounts | FINANCIAL NEWS


Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF) will hold an Open House event at its new Performance Verification Center on Thursday, February

27th. The new Performance Verification Center, the only one of its kind in the Greater Houston area, will be open to anyone in the industry who needs hands-on evaluation of craft performance skills.

Fulfilling an Industry Need “The CMEF Board of Directors found that there was a great need for a local Performance Verification Center and they took the opportunity to meet that need,” says Dr. Steven Horton, CMEF Interim Director of Education. He goes on to say, “CMEF was in a unique position in the fact that Oates Industries made the land available for expansion and also had the resources to do so. Thanks to select members of Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston and our Training Contributor Partners, verification tools and equipment were donated and evaluation stations are now operational.”

Armed with guidelines set out by NCCER, CMEF began the build out phase, ensuring that a controlled environment was created that would accommodate craft professionals and their Evaluators. “One of the key drivers of this project was the Owner community. More and more Owners are requiring that the craft professionals on their jobsite meet a certain standard of skills to work safely on that jobsite,” says Horton.

The Performance Verification Center now offers hands-on evaluation of craft skills in the following areas:

• Pipefitting• Scaffold Builder• Carpentry • Electrical• Insulator • Instrumentation Fitter• Rebar• Concrete Finisher• Millwright (coming in February)• Boilermaker (coming in April)• Crane, Rigging, and Signal Person

CMEF Performance Verification Center

Open HouseThursday, February 27th

3pm-6pm 2950 East X St.

La Porte, TX 77571

Public Welcome!Register online at www.abchouston.org or call Joyce Denison at 713-523-6222.

Performance Verification Center Opens In La Porte


Evaluators Making the GradeCMEF has two full-time, and several part-time Performance Verification Evaluators on hand to observe and evaluate candidates. As the Center grows, CMEF will be seeking additional Evaluators. “An Evaluator must demonstrate journey-level experience in the craft(s) they apply to evaluate and also are required to successfully complete the Instructor Certification Training Program (ICTP) held at CMEF’s main office,” said Whitney Cox, CMEF Training Manager. When asked what a candidate gets in return for completion of Performance Verification, Whitney stated, “Successful completion of a Performance Verification is only half of the certification process. Only once a candidate has passed both the hands-on performance evaluation and written assessment (also provided by CMEF), will they receive the ‘Certified Plus’ credential. They will also receive a wallet card, a certificate and a copy of their transcript.”

To learn more about the Performance Verification Center or to become an Evaluator, contact the CMEF office at (281)478-3900.

A view of the Performance Verification Stations.

A Pipefitter Verification Station is shown above.

CMEF Opens PV Center | INDUSTRY NEWS


“We are committed to providing outstanding quality services to our customers within a framework of safe performance and we will strive to understand and support the requirements of our

customers, co-workers and the communities.” – Chuck Mobley, President, Mobley Industrial Services

“Continuous improvement will be pursued through an environment of mutual respect, teamwork, personal commitment, systems thinking, participative problem solving and responsible

communication.” – Kirk Mobley, V.P. of Safety, Health and Environmental, Mobley Industrial Services

“As a result, Mobley Industrial Services will be competitive, earn the respect of our community and continue to meet the ever-increasing demand for excellence.”

– Blake Young, Vice President, Mobley Industrial Services

For Mobley Industrial Services’ management and the team that supports industry with specialty contractor services, those words define the company’s mission. Mobley Industrial Services delivers on those promises, earning recognition for outstanding performance from

its peers and clientele across industry.

Mobley, now celebrating 35 years in business, is one of the most well-respected names among multi-service specialty contractors. With an impressive reputation for safety, quality and cost effectiveness, Mobley Industrial Services gets the job done right the first time, regardless of size or complexity.

Standing Behind The WorkMobley Industrial serves the refining, petrochemical, power generation, pulp and paper, food and beverage, cryogenics, and marine industries with surface preparation and painting, tank coatings and linings, insulation, scaffolding, corrosion under insulation management, fireproofing, asbestos and lead abatement, and asset management programs.

“One of our greatest strengths is we are family-owned and operated, so we can make decisions quickly,” Chuck said. “Mobley’s top management is always available to answer any question and explain every aspect of our service, how we intend to implement our recommendations, and the effect it will ultimately have on the customer’s facility – before costly decisions are made. As our customers’ needs and priorities change, we are flexible enough to change with them.”

Mobley Industrial Services has completed many multimillion dollar projects in the states it serves, including Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. “We are proud of what the Mobley name has become,” Chuck said.

Not Only Specialists But Also ExpertsWith 1,000-1,200 personnel depending on its workload, Mobley Industrial Services’ management places among its highest priorities the protection of its workforce and the environment in which they operate. Over the years, the company has continually updated its equipment and utilizes the latest technology in providing services for its customers.

A Legacy of Safety, Quality & Hard Work With a Personal Touch


Mobley Industrial Services | COVER STORY

Houston, TXO 281.470.9120F 281.470.0426

Corpus Christi, TXO 361.265.0304F 361.265.0387

Pascagoula, MSO 228.762.3073F 228.762.3073

Sulphur, LAO 337.882.6505F 337.882.6566

El Dorado, ARO 870.863.4644F 870.863.4644

“What we initially envisioned for Mobley Industrial Services was a company that could stand apart from the competition in many facets,” said Kirk. “We take safety and quality seriously, and we don’t say it, we do it! We can provide safe, quality services that are on schedule at a fair price.” He goes on to say, “We maintain the best equipment in the industry, and our employees, facilities and procedures are always OSHA compliant and act in accordance with all local regulations.”

Mobley has developed an innovative safety program that rewards those with an outstanding record of no accidents or injuries. “Our commitment to safety is our customers’ assurance of a worry-free job completed without delays due to accident or injury,” Kirk says. “We think our corporate safety statistics speak for themselves and believe that safety is cost effective because it makes good business sense.”

As part of its safety program, Mobley conducts weekly on-site training to enhance its multicraft skills and enable the company and its team to achieve zero incidents and injuries. This is in addition to an extensive list of 25 safety training programs it implements with its team focusing on all aspects of work performed, including hazard communication, ladder safety, respirator safety, PPE, hearing safety, confined space entry and abrasive blasting, to name a few.

Over the years, manufacturing sites have presented Mobley with safety excellence and safety leadership awards. Recently, the Mobley team received a high honor for its work – VPP Star Status Recommendation from Chevron Phillips Cedar Bayou in Baytown, Texas.

“Our site leadership and staff of employees are reinforcing the standards and safety culture to which we strive for as a company,” Young said. “This is a true testament as to what can be done with teamwork.”

Speaking to the company’s safety, quality and performance in the application of protective coatings, its teams earned first place for the past five years in the Coating Society of the Houston Area’s painters’ competitions, which exhibits the proficiency of painting crews in the Gulf Coast area.

On a national level, Mobley Industrial Services has earned recognition from associations such as Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), which recently honored Mobley with its sixth ABC National Safety Excellence Award and an ABC STEP Diamond Award – the pinnacle of safety performance in the construction industry.

“ABC is proud to honor Mobley Industrial Services with a National Safety Excellence Award for demonstrating an extraordinary commitment to safety and outstanding safety performance,” said Michael D. Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. “Mobley Industrial Services has truly shown a dedication to becoming one of the leaders for the industry by striving to create the safest work environment possible for its employees.”

“With decades of experience in the industry and a thorough understanding of each process, we are not only specialists, we are experts,” Young said.

www.mobleyservices.com


It’s almost OSHA 300 Log posting time again! Most of you know the basics:

• If you have more than 10 employees, you must maintain an OSHA 300 log;

• Injuries that receive medical treatment beyond first aid are always recordable;

• The first day that an incident happens is never counted toward the “lost days”;

• Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

You may also know you can find examples and answers on OSHA’s website on the nuances of what’s recordable and what’s not, i.e. if my employee has an accident in our parking garage, is that a work-related injury?

But here are three questions TCA often hears from even the most seasoned employers:

QUESTION 1An employee changes his story from facts that aren’t recordable to facts that are, do we still have to record it? EXAMPLE: Our employee called in and said he got hurt over the weekend and wouldn’t be in. The next day his sister, an attorney, called in and said he had been mistaken, he had been hurt at work, and they were filing a worker compensation claim. The employee never came back to work, and never made direct contact with the employer again in spite of repeated requests by the employer

to fill out an incident form. The worker compensation carrier paid the claim based upon documents filled out by the sister but the employee did not personally sign any of them. Is this recordable?

Answer 1No. OSHA Technical Services advised TCA that the employer has to determine several elements for an incident to be recordable. First and foremost is the determination of whether or not an event is “work-related.” The decision is the employer’s. Recordability is not the employee’s, his sister’s, his attorney’s, or even his doctor’s decision. However, the employer MUST be able to defend the basis of his or her decision. In this case, there was no evidence of “work-relatedness” and there was evidence, the employee’s initial phone call, that it was not work related. OSHA said the employer was under no obligation to fabricate a report of injury for an employee who refused to make a report. Therefore, regardless of the worker compensation payment and any doctor’s treatment, this event did not meet the criteria for a “work-related” injury.

QUESTION 2Using an employee’s medical insurance, instead of worker compensation insurance, means we don’t have to record it, correct?

AMAVI

OSHA 300 Logs:Three Common Questions Not On OSHA’s Website


Answer 2No, this is not correct. Many employers seek to minimize the escalation of insurance premiums by paying for minor matters out of pocket and some employees elect to use private insurance over worker compensation insurance. Further, some employees refuse medical help even when it may be needed and never inform the employer of any problem, status, or treatment, beyond the initial report of the incident. While it is fine to manage your insurance costs as long as your policy has no provision to the contrary, and it is fine for an employee to say “I’m okay, I’m not going to the doctor” or to use his own medical insurance, none of these after-effects have any influence over recordability. The incident, regardless of how it was managed, must be judged by OSHA’s criteria for recordability to determine whether or not it belongs on the OSHA 300 log. If it meets OSHA’s published criteria for recordability (see www.OSHA.gov) then it must be recorded, regardless of how it was ultimately managed by the employer or the employee.

QUESTION 3We have less than 10 employees during the year so we have no duty to disclose our work-related injuries, correct?

Answer 3No, this is not correct. You have no duty to track them on an OSHA 300 log, but you do have a duty to disclose them upon request by OSHA or any other authorized party. If you elect to not maintain an OSHA 300 log due to company size then OSHA has a right to ask to see your records (i.e. employee injury records, medical records, etc.) to determine recordability of any work-related incidents that occurred.

Now that we’ve shared the answers to these previously unpublished FAQ’s, let me wish you first and foremost, and injury and incident free 2014! Happy New Year!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Tara Maria Amavi, (formerly Tara Templeton Hart) is the Founder and President of TCA/The Compliance Alliance L.P. TCA has provided services to almost 1000 companies nationwide and TCA’s proprietary tools, methods and means have been ranked #1 in the world for managing contractor safety. Ms. Amavi has been named one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women for 2012 by Houston Woman magazine, and has also been named one of the Who’s Who in Safety by Compliance Magazine. Ms. Amavi is a sought after public speaker, has appeared on local & national radio and television programs including five appearances on The BusinessMakers, a radio show hosted by John Beddow & Russ Capper. Ms. Amavi may be contacted at [email protected] or 713.263.7661.

OSHA 300 Logs | SAFETY NEWS


To make a vehicle go faster and in some cases slower, different gears need to be installed in the transmission. High gears create speed; likewise, low gears create slow speeds and

greater pulling power. When contractors attempt to have better results than previous years, new gears may be necessary. Gears for operating at greater efficiency, skill and accuracy. A detriment to worksite efficiency is an injury that causes an employee to leave the site and replaced with less trained, less skilled and a less-than-ready worker. It’s the killer of opportunity, momentum, efficiency and yes, even project and corporate success. You can’t name many customers that choose contractors to perform work in their facilities or on their property with a history of high injury statistics. If a project goal is to be successful, project teams must minimize false starts, perform without defects in workmanship and learn to overcome delays and setbacks created by weather, scope change, customer issues and injury.

Construction ResearchFew employers know that research chartered by the Construction Industry Institute was conducted during the 1990’s to determine

how some projects could go long periods of time with no recordable injuries while other projects had injuries frequently. Even as recent as the summer of 2012, research was concluded determining the value of using leading indicators on new construction, turnaround and maintenance projects. In the early days, the researchers wanted to know about injury-free projects and learn “How the contractors did it.” During the 1990’s construction injury incidence rates were in the 6.00 to 12.00 range. Of the 122 project sites visited by the researchers, four Task Force teams found that 53% (63 sites) were at zero lost time injuries and 8% (10 sites) were at zero recordable injuries. Again, the researchers were trying to find out, “How they did it; how can projects go more than one million hours without a recordable injury?”

It’s MagicalWhat do you guess the researchers determined? That companies were cheating on OSHA logs documentation? Were they hiding injuries? Were they under-reporting? Did they not know to follow the recordkeeping guidelines? On the contrary, researchers found that the best of the best contractors were using nine leading indicator/best practices with more than 100 sub-categories of leading indicators. Who would have figured it? So there is really no magic to achieving zero injury, it’s a matter of using leading indicators. Amazingly, it was discovered that project teams who treated employees well had better safety statistical outcomes. Researchers found that the involvement of all employees in safety activities and recognition of safety performers was a key to achieving zero injury for long periods of time.

Happy New Gear

GHORMLEY

“During the 1990’s construction injury incidence rates were in the 6.00

to 12.00 range. Of the 122 project sites visited by the researchers, four

Task Force teams found that 53% (63 sites) were at zero lost time injuries

and 8% (10 sites) were at zero recordable injuries.”


Focus On History…NotTask force teams determined that projects with high injury rates had leaders, both corporate and project, which focused on lagging indicators such as injury statistics. Since history can’t be changed, in this case accidents, incidents and injuries, the best way to prevent them is to focus on human behaviors. The root cause of injury is at-risk behavior and if those behaviors can be eliminated, injury can be eliminated. The sixty-four dollar question then is how do you eliminate at-risk actions of employees? The answer in part, is training on the elements of zero injury, planning safety into the work plans, and empowering employees and line leaders to observe, coach and assist co-workers. Also, projects excel when workers are involved in all safety activities such as meetings, inspections and safety committees. When workers are recognized for their safety participation and achievement, they become co-owners of the safety process. And when people are owners, they are protectors of what they own.

Is There More?Yes, there are at least 130 leading indicators that when used, help project teams achieve zero injury for thousands, if not millions of work hours. In over 20 years of keeping zero injury results, the Zero Injury Institute has reports of only 50 instances where zero injury was achieved for a million work hours or more.

Wouldn’t you like your project to get a new transmission and gear up for zero injury? That’s what a well-tuned, leading indicator safety program does.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bennett Ghormley has over 35 years of experience in safety, training and construction administration. He is experienced in implementing safety programs involving commercial, industrial and municipal industries. Mr. Ghormley has conducted audits, investigations and inspections in refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants, for pipelines, water and waste facilities, manufacturing plants and fabrication facilities. Mr. Ghormley has served as an expert witness in litigation cases and appeared before the Workers’ Compensation Commission, EEOC, Employment Commission and civil courts. Contact Mr. Ghormley via email at [email protected]

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Happy New Gear| SAFETY NEWS


Adams Insurance Services, Inc.Aggregate Technologies Inc.Ajamie LLPAllegiance Crane & EquipmentAlliance Health Resources & Deer Park Family ClinicAllied Electrical Contractors of Houston, Inc.Amber, L.P.American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)American Mat & Timber Co.Andrews Myers, P.C.Ardent Services LLCAstro Fence Co.Austin CommercialAVAdekAW ConstructorsBaker TriangleBarrier Equipment, Inc.Bass ConstructionBecon Construction Co., Inc.Bendel Tank & Heat ExchangerBETCO ScaffoldsBIC AllianceBig City Access, Inc.BIG EnterpriseBKD, LLPBKW EnvironmentalBobcat of HoustonBo-Mac Contractors, Ltd.Bottom Line EquipmentBrady, Chapman, Holland and AssociatesBrand Energy & Infrastructure ServicesC-Air-S Mechanical, Inc.Cajun Constructors, Inc.Camarata Masonry Systems, LTDCED IndustrialCemexCertex - HoustonCertified Companies, Inc.Chamberlin Roofing & WaterproofingChampion Rentals, Inc.Channel BioRefinery & TernimalsCherry Demolition, Inc.Christ TaylorClean-Co Systems, Inc.CLM Equipment Co., Inc.Coastal Flow Measurement, Inc.Coastal IceCoastal Welding Supply, Inc.Coats, Rose, Yale, Ryman & Lee PCCokinos, Bosien, & YoungCommercial Siding & MaintenanceCompliance Safety ConsultingConstruction Interior Products, Inc.Contech Control ServicesCraig & Heidt, Inc.D. E. Harvey Builders, Inc.Dean & Draper Insurance AgencyDisa, Inc.Doran Steel, Inc.Efficiency Shoring and SupplyElectra Link Inc.Empire Scaffold

Environmental Allies, Inc.Epoxy Design Systems, Inc.Excel Maintenance & ConstructionExperToxFast Track Specialties, LPForce CorporationFord Nassen & BaldwinG.R. Birdwell ConstructionGajeske Inc.Gallop Tower Field ServiceGaughan, Stone & ThiagarajanGeotech Engineering & TestingGilbane Building CompanyGriesenbeck Architectural Products, Inc.Group Contractors, LLCGulfspan Industrial, LLCHarper & Pearson Company, P.C.Haynes Whaley Associates, Inc.Hi-Tech Electric, Inc.HOAR Construction, LLCHoles IncorporatedHUB International/RiggIHI E&C International CorporationImageNet ConsultingISC Constructors, LLCJamail & Smith ConstructionJAMCO INC.JV Industrial CompaniesKarsten Interior ServicesKBR Building GroupKirkseyLiberty Mutual SuretyLocke Solutions Precast DivisionLVI Facility Services, Inc.LWL, Inc.Maintenance Enterprises, Inc.Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.Marek Sawing & DrillingMedSafeMEK Interiors & Floors Inc.MMR GroupMobil Steel International, Inc.Mobley Industrial Services, Inc.Naegeli Transportation, Inc.NextGen ParkingNorman Smith Equipment Co.Northern Safety & IndustrialOdebrecht Construction, Inc.OGI-Texas, An Ohio Gratings CompanyOldcastle PrecastOn Center SoftwarePCL Industrial Construction Co.Performance Electric L.P.Peterson Beckner IndustriesPinnacle Industries, Inc.Portable Rental SolutionsPorter Hedges LLPPrime Information Center, Inc.Pro Modular Ltd.ProSource StaffingPro-Vigil, Inc.

PV Rentals, Leasing & SalesRepcon, Inc.Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc.ROMCO Equipment Co.S&B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd.S&S HVAC Equipment, LLCSafety By DesignSafway Services LLCSatellite Shelters, Inc.Saulsbury IndustriesScaffolding Today, Inc.Schear Hampton Drywall, LLCSeyfarth Shaw LLPSkanska USA Building Inc.Skilled TradesSkillforce, IncSoutheast Fire Protection, L.P.Southwest Refractoring Inc. of TexasSpecialty Maintenance ProductsSpecified ComponentsStandard Constructors, Inc.STARCON International, Inc.Straight Line Industrial Services, Inc.Structure Tone Southwest, Inc.SynergenTCA/The Compliance Alliance L.P.TDIndustriesTechnip USA, Inc.Tecon Services, Inc.TEJAS Underground Utilities, LLCTerracon Consultants, Inc.Tetra TechThe Gonzalez GroupThe Mundy CompaniesThe Scruggs Co.The Stevenson GroupTNT Crane & Rigging, Inc.Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc.Total CAD Systems, Inc.Total Industrial ServicesT-Rex ServicesTRIAD Electric & ControlsTriton Construction CompanyUnited AccessUnited Rentals Trench SafetyUpland Services, Inc.Watermark Graphics IncWildcat Electric SupplyWilliams ScotsmanZachry Industrial, Inc.

Thank You For Renewing!The following companies have renewed their membership with Associated Builders and Contractors for 2014. To learn more about ABC and the benefits of membership, visit www.abchouston.org or call (713)523-6222.

ABC members are “America’s Best Contractors”!

2014 Renewal Drive | ASSOCIATION NEWS


A Google search for “2014 Houston Construction Boom” comes up with over 673,000 results, including recent articles from the ‘Dallas Morning News’, online current

affairs and culture magazine Slate, and even the Australian newspaper ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’. It seems the whole world knows that the construction forecast in Houston, and its surrounding areas, is strong and wants to talk about the opportunities that abound in the Lone Star State’s metropolis flagship for the construction industry.

Great opportunities rarely present themselves without challenges, though, and contractors are facing some tough adversity in the form of developing a skilled workforce that is ready to take on the immense amount of work on the horizon. While projected figures vary somewhat depending on what publication you subscribe to, it is certain that a huge amount of commercial and industrial construction is on the verge of happening in Houston. What area experts are not so certain of is who is going to do the work.

The “2014 Houston Employment Forecast”, published by the economic development organization The Greater Houston Partnership, cited that the City of Houston has issued $5.9 billion of building permits in the last year, representing a 17.9 percent increase in nonresidential permits along with a 40.2 percent increase in residential permits. Over $40 billion in chemical plant expansions and startups are expected in Texas and along the Louisiana Gulf Coast. The downside of the conversation is that “construction employment remains 21,600 jobs below its pre-recession peak [because] Houston has a shortage of skilled construction workers” due to the elimination of shop classes from high schools and the lack of action taken by construction associations to train the workforce (Patrick Jankowski, CCR, Vice President Research Greater Houston Partnership).

Acting Director of the Houston commercial contractors’ non-profit initiative to develop training standards for their industry,

Construction Career Collaborative (C3), and the Director of Workforce Development for Marek Family of Companies Katrina Kersch, has not been blindsided by this labor shortage. Her response to being asked about the most important Houston construction workforce challenges? “We will pay for our inattention to our workforce with higher cost and extended schedules [in construction projects]. The gap between those who are training to become skilled craft professionals and the anticipated need is wide and deep,” she laments. “Furthermore, our competition for talent lies beyond our own industry and extends into the technology, service, retail and medical industries. Construction workforce productivity has not kept pace with these other industries,” a condition she attributes to the inability of the construction industry to attract and train qualified workers.

This lag is due to many factors, including a focus on “college only” tracks that have created a void in the labor workforce and a generation without marketable skills or the access and desire to pursue a four-year degree. The opportunity has arisen for contractors to revive career and technical programs thanks to recent changes by the 83rd Texas legislature through the passing of HB5, but the construction industry risks being pushed out by other industries in the race for talent if it doesn’t strike while the iron is hot.

Mike Gremillion is ISC Constructor’s Houston Office Vice President and the former chairman of Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation, the NCCER accredited educational affiliate of ABC Greater Houston devoted to servicing the workforce development needs of the contractor community through programs ranging from craft and safety training to management and leadership instruction. His sentiments echo Kersch’s, demonstrating that the struggle to find willing and qualified workers is prominent on both sides of the industry, commercial and industrial contractors are alike in their challenges. Gremillion

Could Construction Boom Lead To Workforce Bust?By Katy Driver, Assistant Editor

(Continued on page 22)

CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT


illuminates the void, saying, “The largest workforce challenge is the number of craft workers needed to perform the billions of dollars of expansions over the next 5 years. Currently, we have more craft workers leaving the workforce than are entering it.”

Interim Director of Education at CMEF Dr. Steven Horton also sees the gap between seasoned craft workers and new craft workers entering the industry as the majority of skilled craft labor retires without even enough individuals to take their place, much less fill the thousands of additional jobs needed amidst the boom. “Owners and contractors are competing for skilled craft labor,” he elaborates. “A less-skilled craft labor workforce will lead to a decrease in safety and quality performance and increase the cost for both owner and contractor.” This compounds the issue of not having enough workers which also results in increased costs due to lengthening schedules and extended deadlines. The construction boom that all sources predict could end up negatively impacting the Houston economy rather than invigorating it as should happen.

Simple economics illustrate the incentive for individuals to get trained and enter the construction workforce. Kersch illuminates the shortage and its economic impact saying, “While the current number of individuals employed in the industry has decreased, anticipated demand will far outpace the availability of qualified

workers.” What does this lead to? Horton states it matter-of-factly: “Craft wages will escalate to create incentive to fill the need for industry’s craft labor demand.” In other words, demand drives the price, and contractors are not only willing to pay a premium for trained workers, they are finally realizing the importance of providing training resources and incentives for individuals to enter the construction industry’s workforce.

For the individuals who are willing to put time and effort into getting the right training, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a real thing. Earning potential for a trained entry-level worker putting in a 40-hour work week (excluding over time), can range from $37,000 - $52,000 and the experienced worker from $44,000 - $73,000 a year depending on the craft, according to Dr. Horton’s research and interviewing of local contractors. Overtime demands have allowed for select craft workers to even earn over $100,000, and in an environment like the one Houston is facing, this will not be an impossible achievement for many dedicated workers.

Kersch puts the onus on the construction industry: “I think we have an obligation as an industry to make potential candidates understand the benefits of entering our industry,” which also means providing them with the means to enter the field as trained and competent employees. “C3’s challenge is to create the demand for training through educating owners and construction users that there is no magic pill, shortcut, or assessment that will develop a skilled craft professional. That is only accomplished through training both in the lab and classroom and through structured on-the-job training.” Once owners and contractors realize the need and benefit in training individuals, incentives for individuals to enter the industry will become more apparent.

Opportunity, pay and benefits abound for those individuals who pursue such training for a career in construction. Kersch is certain that “opportunities in our industry have never been better as accelerated training tracks and rapid advancement for motivated individuals are readily available.” She highlights the obligation of

For the individuals who are willing to put time and effort into getting the

right training, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a real thing. Earning

potential for a trained entry-level worker putting in a 40-hour work week (excluding over time), can range from $37,000 - $52,000 and the experienced worker from $44,000 - $73,000 a year

depending on the craft...

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(Continued on page 24)


Join a Leader in Workforce Training

INSTRUCTORS & TRAINERS WANTEDLee College in Baytown, Texas, is located in the epicenter of expansion in the petrochemical industry along the Texas Gulf Coast. Projections estimate more than 22,000 workers will be needed in the construction trades and petrochemical industry over the next 10 years. Other positions will come open through retirements and attrition. Lee College has increased classes and programs to help provide skilled workers for these jobs.

The college is hiring instructors and trainers in a variety of growing petrochemical and construction trades career fields.

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View job postings and apply for positions online: https://jobs.lee.eduFor more information: Contact Human Resources at [email protected] or 281.425.6875

Lee College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, disability, race, color, age, religion, national origin, or veteran status.

Contact us!281.425.6875www.lee.edu Raising the standard for workforce preparedness.


by providing clients with solutions based on experience.relationshipsOur construction team

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helps clients avoid claims and resolve them when they happen.

Chambers USA has ranked our construction practice among the best in Texas (Band 1) for nine consecutive years, describing Porter Hedges as “a very strong firm” with “experience across a broad array of construction matters.”

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industry leaders to make potential candidates understand their choices when it comes to finding and choosing an employer who provides benefits—and believes that standardized training should be a priority (and it is getting to be that way, thanks to owners and contractors who see the value in and support organizations like CMEF and programs like C3).

The Houston area is primed to be the top market for craft training and career advancement for construction professionals. Gremillion touts the diversity of programs and multitude of capacities in which high school aged and young adults can gain training for craft skills. “Area community colleges like Lee College, San Jacinto College Central, and San Jacinto College North offer craft training programs through CMEF for all disciplines—pipe fitting, welding, electrical, instrumentation just to name a few,” he explains. As an added benefit, companies that participate in the CMEF Training Contribution Program receive substantially discounted craft training rates at those local community colleges. These discounted rates range from $100 or less per training class. “Many companies including ISC either pay for or reimburse students for the tuition cost per semester,” said Gremillion. After completing their training, these students have the opportunity to earn credentials of certification through written skills assessment and performance verification at CMEF’s brand new 10,000 square foot Performance Verification Center in Deer Park. This synergy between owners, contractors, trade associations, and educators

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turns hard workers into skilled workers

Discover how our hands-on programs such as HVAC repair, welding technology, and electrical training are meeting the construction industry’s needs of today – and building the highly-trained skilled workforce of tomorrow.

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is an exciting step towards comprehensive training for and expansion of the construction workforce.

Contractor companies can take advantage of this fertile environment by choosing to adopt a high school. “When a contractor adopts a high school,” Gremillion explains, “they provide the school with the necessary tools and materials to teach the internationally-renowned and predominantly recognized NCCER curriculum to junior and senior students. They also agree to offer these students an internship during the summer, and to hire them upon graduation. In return, the student agrees to complete his craft training after hired while he is working.” Engaging in career development by training high school students will ultimately result in more well-trained and career-oriented individuals entering into the work force, providing companies with a solution to their man-power issue while also benefitting them through safer, more efficiently completed projects that save money and time. It is a cycle from which everybody benefits- owners, contractors, the school systems, students, and the community as a whole.

These sponsored training programs, whether through high schools, community colleges, or non-profit educational organizations like CMEF, will change the landscape of the construction industry in Houston by fortifying its workforce with skilled and well trained craft workers who have almost limitless earning potential meeting the needs of a very demanding construction forecast. All of the pieces are in place; it’s time to solve this workforce shortage! - KD



PEOPLE ON THE MOVEJoe Rizzo, Business Development Manager for Cherry, has been elected to a two-year term on the board of directors for the Houston Contractors Association (HCA). Rizzo began his term in January 2014 as part of a 13-member board of directors for HCA.

SpawGlass CEO Joel Stone has announced the promotion of Brandon Meyers to president of the company’s Houston Region. Meyers has more than 20 years experience, with the past 11 years at SpawGlass. As president, Meyers will be responsible for all construction operations in the Houston Region. SpawGlass also announced that Michael Emmons has been promoted to chief operating officer, responsible for daily operations, safety, leadership and strategic direction for the construction company’s approximately 500 employees as it continues to grow.

Stephen T. Dorsett, Sr. has joined the Correct Electric, Inc. family as an Estimator/PM. Stephen brings with him over twenty five years of experience in the Electrical Industry working with both Commercial and Industrial projects. His areas of expertise are estimating, value engineering, contract negotiations, project management, planning and scheduling.

Houston-based Bailey Architects is continuing its dedication to design and service excellence following the passing of the firm’s founder Ray Bailey, FAIA. The firm’s leadership includes Principals Ray Leiker, AIA; Mark Boone, AIA, LEED AP; and Cope Bailey. A Principal in the firm since 1984 and Ray Bailey’s business partner for 36 years; Ray Leiker, AIA will serve as Managing Principal and President. Leiker’s dedication to the profession and community includes providing service and leadership for the Houston

Architecture Foundation (Past President), American Institute of Architects-Houston Chapter (Past President), the Texas Society of Architects (Past Vice President), and other community and industry organizations. Mark Boone has been with Bailey Architects for 26 years and will serve as Principal and Director of Project Management. Boone has led the firm’s work in the institutional, educational and corporate sectors. Under close mentorship of his father, Cope Bailey has been a design leader with the firm since 1990 and will serve as Principal and Vice President.

Sun Coast Resources, Inc., is pleased to announce the appointment of Sheila Kahanek as President. Kathy Lehne will continue in an executive role as Founder and CEO. Since joining Sun Coast in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer, Kahanek has been instrumental in the successes of numerous strategic, productivity, and operational initiatives.

COMPANY NEWSHaley Greer, Inc., believes in recruiting young! Project Manager, Ryan Wroblewski, participated in career day at his son’s school. Instilling a “safety-first” message, he brought glass samples and safety equipment for the class and did a 30 minute presentation about careers in the construction.

PROJECT NEWSE.E. Reed Construction recently completed a new laboratory space for Clariant Oil and Mining. Located in The Woodlands Technology Center, the new 16,000 square foot laboratory space, built for product testing, was completed in September 2013. E.E. Reed worked with architect, Kirksey, on this project.

IN THE KNOW |People, Companies, Projects and Awards

MEYERS BAILEY HALEY GREER E.E. REED CONSTRUCTION

EMMONS LEIKER BOONE DORSETT KAHANEK


Since 1985

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