houston construction news june 2015

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www.constructionnews.net H (210) 308-5800 H Volume 13 H Number 6 H JUNE 2015Japanese Gardens, Houston

Making sure to always hire and train the best employees, Presi-dent William Sanchez founded

Oxford Builders Inc. in 1996. He had a can-do-attitude in the beginning and still does today. “I started Oxford Builders because, as a project manager for a major general contractor, I would often find no one available to hang doors at the end of projects,” Sanchez said. Sanchez began his business from a home office and quickly moved to a new, larger location as a result of increasing sales and the need to more efficiently communicate with his employees. He heard about the city’s certifica-tion program through the Service Corps

William Sanchez recently graduated from Golden Sachs 10,000 Small BusinessCohort 12 at Houston Community College.

of Retired Executives (SCORE), and short-ly after attending a pre-certification workshop, Oxford Builders became a Mi-nority and Disadvantaged Business En-terprise. Door and hardware installation and rough carpentry were Oxford Builders founding trades. Over the years, the company has ex-panded its services to include finish car-pentry, louver installation, cementitious product installation, decks, ramps and stairways, wall protection and custom cabinets. “We have been fortunate to have the top general contractors in the Houston area as customers and friends,” Sanchez

Before President Asher Kazmann, PE, opened Locke Solutions in 2013, he spent a decade gaining ex-

perience in structural precast design and production management. “I started Locke Solutions because I felt it was time to raise the bar for what the terms quality and customer service meant in the construction industry,” Ka-zmann said. Locke Solutions has grown since 2013 and this year more than 30 employ-ees work at the company. “We also have a new website with updated and new product drawings,” he said. “We’ve optimized our site for mobile phones and tablets, and streamlined the interface so customers can find what

The Locke Solutions team gathers at the crane servedwarehouse about a mile from Hobby Airport.

they need quickly and easily.” Kazmann says the best part about what he does today is working with the people in the construction industry. “There are a lot of good people in the industry, whether it is contractors or engineers,” he said. “I think there are a lot of hard working people in the industry who enjoy being outside building proj-ects. “There’s also a lot of gratification in what we do at Locke Solutions. Develop-ing unique design solutions and then building those ideas into tangible prod-ucts is incredible.” The company has provided precast

The Pizaro’s Pizza II project, located at 1000 W. Gray Suite 400 in Hous-ton, is now complete. The restau-

rant provides authentic traditional Italian pizza. Trincon Services Group LLC is the GC. The restaurant owners are Bill and Gloria Hutchinson, Matt Hutchinson and Nicole Bean. Braun Enterprises owns the building. “Bill trained in Italy and received cer-tification as a pizzaiuolo from the verace pizza napoletana organization,” says Eric Sarlls, Tricon Services Group president and project manager. Sarlls says the approximate cost for the 3,300-sf restaurant project was $400,000. The primary construction materials included concrete, drywall, millwork, electrical, plumbing and mechanical. “Challenges the construction team met and overcame were finding existing The Pizaro’s Pizza II interior.

unforeseen items under the slab due to the fact the building was built in the ‘40s,” he said. “The weather was another issue during the seven month project.” Sarlls says Tipps Architecture de-signed the one of a kind restaurant The restaurant has sleek lines, modern ele-ments and retro style. “The owner, Tipps Architecture, and our construction team were always will-ing to work together to resolve any issues quickly and efficiently,” he said. “The sub-contractors went above and beyond to get the project finished on time.” Established in Dec. 2009, Trincon Services Group has one office located in Houston. The company has worked on previous projects such as the Whitlock relocation in Houston and the Central Transportation Systems relocation in Mis-souri City.

Houston Construction News • Jun 2015


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Houston Editor — Abby BeMent — [email protected] — 832-595-0091

The Houston Construction News (ISSN 1547-7630) is published monthly by Construction News LTD., dba Houston Construction News, and distributed by mail to construction-related companies in Houston and surrounding counties. All submissions should be mailed to our editorial offices. We reserve the right to edit any materials submitted. No fees for materials, copy or photographs submitted will be due unless agreed upon in advance in writing. Submissions will be published at our discretion on a space available basis. Construction News, Ltd. , dba Houston Construction News, will not be liable for errors in copy or in advertisements beyond the actual cost of space occupied by the error. Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement at any time.

Enjoying a fun night of dinner and dancing, Houston area architects attended the 2015 Celebrate Architecture Gala at Silver Street Studios Apr. 25. The American Institute of Architects Houston Chapter hosted the event.

(Photo Credit: Daniel Ortiz)

L-R: Chris Hill, Leanna Gatlin and Sean Christopher Cowan

Catherine O’ Dell CallawayL-R: Lori Murphy and Jeromy Murphy

Brave Architecture

Kristi Grizzle (left) and friends

Attendees dance at Silver Street Studios.

The Precast Concrete Manufacturers Association (PCMA) of Texas hosted the fifth annual Pull for Pompe Apr.

18 at the National Shooting Complex. Proceeds from the event benefit research into Pompe Disease, also known as acid maltase deficiency and glycogen storage disease type II, a rare neuromuscular dis-ease that affects approximately 1 in 40,000 people in the world. Approximately 400 construction in-dustry professionals from across the state brought in an early estimate of $100,000 for the 2015 fundraiser. PCMA of Texas has raised more than $600,000 for the Acid Maltese Deficiency Association (AMDA) since the event’s inception in 2011. –mh

Winners:Team1st: Summit Engineering – Jorge Hinojo-sa Jr., Caleb McCarty, Mario Cantu, Harry Williams, Colton Haun2nd: E-Z Bel – Ish Garcia, Ryan Garcia, Tra-vis Benke, Bruce Benke, Mike Oliver3rd: Frost Bank – Raul Barberena, Mark Maloney, Stephen Ethridge, Brandon Car-penter, Chris Wray

Pulling for a good cause

Lady1st: Tricia Kocurek, WMC #22nd: Kelsey Robinson, Nucor Steel #23rd: Brance Anderson, A.H. Beck FoundationJunior1st: Kolby Vacek, WMC #12nd: Orlando Garcia, Bexar Concrete #33rd: Brance Anderson, A.H. Beck FoundationLewisClass A1st: Colton Haun, Summit Engineering2nd: Stephen Ethridge, Frost Bank3rd: Mike Oliver, E-Z BelClass B1st: Scott Billingsley, AMDA2nd: Roland Garcia, San Antonio Rough Rider3rd: Willie Guerra, MancoClass C1st: Steven Rodriguez, San Antonio Rough Riders2nd: Jason Ochoa, Austin Bridge & Road3rd: James Bailey, Vulcan Materials #1Course HOARed: Ernest Taylor, Bexar Concrete #2Green: Harry Williams, Summit Engineer-ingYellow: Brad Frerich, Bexar Concrete #1

First Place Team L-R: Caleb McCarty, Jorge Hinojosa Jr., Harry Williams, Jorge Hinojosa Sr., Mario Cantu, Colton Haun


Life insurance provides securityTerrell O. Taylor Jr., CLU, PartnerChrist Taylor InsuranceHouston, TX

Financial security is the comfort of knowing your family’s standard of living is secure even when a life-

changing event occurs. The first step in strengthening your family’s financial future is to face some worst-case scenarios.

Everyone needs ready financial re-sources to fall back on. If hard times have reduced your ready cash and emergency funds, the insurance component of your safety net becomes all the more impor-tant. If you were to die today, life insur-ance would provide cash to your depen-dents that can help pay for your funeral and other final expenses, meet everyday living expenses, pay down the mort-gage, finance longer term goals like edu-cation and retirement, and generally maintain your family’s quality of life. If you are the breadwinner, life insur-ance will replace some or all of your in-come if you die. Even if you don’t work outside the home, you still provide ser-vices that are expensive to replace, like childcare and household chores. If you are a business owner, a properly struc-tured life insurance program can safe-guard the finances of both your business and family. However, life insurance is something that no one likes to think about. The good news is that 86% of Americans be-lieve that life insurance is something that most people need. The bad news is that most Americans don’t have enough and more than a third don’t have any at all.

How much life insurance do I need? Since the amount of insurance you need depends on your specific financial goals and circumstances, there is no sim-ple formula to help determine the amount that’s right for you. That said, when you consider all the things that life insurance proceeds need to fund and how long the money will be needed, you begin to realize that your true need for coverage is often 10 or 15 times your gross income, often more.

Should I buy term or permanent life insurance? Generally speaking, term offers the greatest coverage for the lowest initial premium and is a great solution for peo-ple with temporary needs or a limited budget. Permanent insurance may make more sense if you anticipate a need for lifelong protection and like the option of accumulating tax-deferred cash values. Also, it doesn’t have to be one or the oth-

er. Oftentimes, a combination of term and permanent insurance is the right an-swer. Life insurance should serve as the foundation of your family’s financial se-curity, helping to ensure that your loved ones will be all right financially even if something were to happen to you. Here are 7 fundamental ways that life insurance creates a strong base for your financial security:

• Buys Time – allows loved ones to fo-cus on their grief by helping to pay for the funeral and other final expenses. • Provides a Fresh Start – Lets loved ones start with a clean slate by helping to pay off credit card bills, outstanding loans and even the mortgage. • Generates Income – Helps replace lost income for years to come so that sur-viving family members can continue to pay for life’s necessities. • Offers Flexibility – Gives a surviving spouse the chance to take time off from work or to switch to a job that offers a more flexible work schedule. • Creates Opportunities – Can provide funding to start a business, or pay for schooling so surviving family members can train for a new career. • Funds the Future – Offers a way to fund longer-range goals like a college education for the kids or a secure retire-ment for a surviving spouse.• Leaves A Legacy – Gives parents the chance to leave future generations with the legacy of long-term financial securi-ty. But this can only happen if you’ve done the proper planning. Don’t wait an-other minute and schedule time to meet with an insurance professional in your community or your benefits manager at work to make sure you have the right amount and type of life insurance to pro-tect the ones you love.

Christ Taylor Insurance is an employee benefits and insurance brokerage firm do-ing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-time ABC member. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.christtaylor.com.

Section 179 and tangibleproperty regsMilton G. Barrett, CPA - ShareholderRidout, Barrett & Co., PCSan Antonio, TX

Section 179 As we all are aware, as of Jan. 1, 2015, the Section 179 limits were reduced back to $25,000. In addition, the 50% bonus depreciation expired on Dec. 31, 2014. But,

as in 2014, there is hope that the limits will be restored. The 2014 tax relief was signed by the president in late December which gave very little time for small businesses to plan and make purchases.

In Feb. 2015, the House of Represen-tatives voted on a bill that would perma-nently increase the Section 179 limit to $500,000 with a phase out threshold of $2,000,000 and index for inflation start-ing in 2016. The 50% bonus depreciation, Section 168(k), is also attached to the bill. The Senate will now consider the bill and make changes or rewrite it completely. By making the higher limits perma-nent, the House hopes to encourage small business growth in investments by reducing the tax burden. The estimated tax savings over the next 10 years would be approximately $77 billion. The presi-dent has threatened to veto the bill as is unless there is an offset to increase tax revenue through some other means by $77 billion.

Property that will qualify for Section 179

• Machinery and equipment• Business vehicles with GVWR

over 6,000 lbs (with exceptions)• Computers, office equipment,

furniture and off the shelf soft-ware

• Property attached to buildings that are not structural

• Single purpose agricultural and horticultural structures

• Storage facilities (except build-ings) used in distribution and production of petroleum prod-ucts

• Livestock• Qualified leasehold improve-

ments

Tangible property regs These new regulations will affect ev-ery taxpayer that uses tangible property in their business. For years the Internal Revenue Service has fought with taxpay-ers on what constitutes repairs and what constitutes capital improvements. The IRS has issued final regs in this regards that will be effective for 2014 and later tax returns. Under the old rules, deductible re-pairs and maintenance are those that are incurred for the purpose of keeping property in operating condition. Capital

improvements are expenditures that prolong the life of an asset or increase its value. An example would be a taxpayer rebuilds an engine for a piece of equip-ment. The cost to rebuild the engine would need be capitalized and depreci-ated. IRS argues that the rebuilt engine increases the value of the equipment as well as prolonging the life. The new rules starts with the as-sumption that all tangible property must be capitalized and depreciated unless there is an exception. One such excep-tion would be for materials and supplies. Material and supplies of $200 or less and that will be consumed in one year or less can be currently deducted. There are three safe harbor rules that can be used by taxpayers. De Minimis Safe Harbor – a taxpay-er that has a written policy and makes an annual election to deduct up to $500 per invoice item. If the taxpayer prepares an audited financial statement, then the lim-it can increase to $5,000. Routine Maintenance Safe Harbor – a taxpayer can deduct the cost of rou-tine maintenance if it is expected to oc-cur more than once during the life of the asset. Safe Harbor for Small Taxpayers – this safe harbor is primarily used by land-lords. Annual expenses that can be de-ducted must be the lessor of $10,000 or 2% of the building’s basis. To qualify for the safe harbor, the property must have a basis of $1 million or less and the taxpay-ers annual gross receipts must be $10 million or less. $1 million limit appears low and limits the number of taxpayers eligible for the safe harbor, however, the building must be separated into “units of property”. Plumbing, electrical, elevators, alarm systems, HVAC, etc will be a sepa-rate UOP to depreciate.

Ridout, Barrett & Co., PC has been serving the San Antonio area since 1986. The firm develops long-term relationships with its clients and becomes an integral part of their team. The firm services the needs of its clients by providing professional services of the highest quality in a proactive and time-ly manner.

Skanska participated in the 11th annual Safety Week May 3-9. Activities at Houston jobsites ranged from training sessions and safety product demos to award recognitions

and crew stand downs to focus on specific job site hazards. –ab

Submitted to Construction News

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Jaren WalkerPlumber’s HelperGary’s Quality Plumbing

Industry FOLKS

Jaren Walker grew up in the plumb-ing industry and learned the trade

from his father and his grandfather. He joined Gary’s Quality Plumbing seven months ago. “I am still in training right now,” Walker said. “I enjoy learning some-thing new on the job every day. “I arrive to work early in the morn-ing and go to the jobs with my boss. He has taught me so much in just a short time. I ask questions all the time.” Walker says he decided to work in the plumbing industry because it runs in the family. He knew at an early age he wanted to make a living as a plumb-er. “I really wanted an active job where I could spend time outside on nice days and not be stuck in an office,” he said. One of his very first jobs was in-stalling a water heater. He’d help his dad and grandfather whenever he could during the summertime. “My father and grandfather taught me the importance of hard work and dedication,” Walker said. “They told me I should to stick with it and not give up when challenges arise.” Growing up in Carlsbad, NM, Walk-er enjoyed exploring the Chihuahuan Desert on the Pecos River with his fam-ily. He went to Carlsbad Caverns Na-tional Park many times as a kid.

Walker and his family moved to Rosenberg when he was 7. He partici-pated in a homeschooling curriculum. In his free time, he loved playing foot-ball with his friends. “There is lots of things to do in Rosenberg on the weekend,” he said. “I love this small town. Sometimes I like to go to Brazos Bend State Park to spend time in nature.” He also enjoys going fishing when he gets the chance. He recently caught lots of tilapia at a local pond. Walker likes to listen to all types of country music too. His favorite musi-cians are George Strait and Willie Nel-son. Looking towards the future, Walk-er plans to continue to improve his plumbing skills. One day he hopes to take the Master Plumber examination. “This is a great trade,” he said. “I am just glad to be here. I look forward to working in the plumbing industry for years to come.” –ab

Champions Golf Club was the place to be for the 20th annual Associated General Contractors (AGC)/American Institute of Architects (AIA) Golf Tournament Apr. 20. The

tournament raised $35,000 for Ace Mentor Program Houston. –ab


On the greens

When am I really done?Sewell “Spike” Cutler Jr.Cutler-Smith PCDallas, TX

Routinely, a contractor’s work is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for a stated

period — usually one year from substantial completion. Contractors have the reasonable belief that after the end of the warranty period, their responsibility for the product and the work is effectively ended. But, when does it end, really?

As lawyers, we usually have to tell our clients that their exposure really doesn’t end until the statute of limita-tions, the legal bar against further suits, has taken effect. In Texas, that usually means either a four year statute of limita-tions (for breach of contract), or a two year statute of limitations (for negligence, such as negligent design and the like). But it is never quite that simple.

Discovery rule The “discovery rule” doctrine means a statute of limitations doesn’t start run-ning until the condition could reasonably have been detected. Thus, if you per-formed deficient work, but deficiencies were concealed, limitations don’t begin to run until the defect could reasonably have been discovered, which could be a very long time, indeed. For this reason, contractors histori-cally found themselves facing claims for work performed in the distant past. The Texas Legislature passed the “Statute of Repose” relating to construction work, providing that suit alleging defective construction work must be brought with-in ten years after substantial completion, cutting off the “tail” of discovery rule ex-posure. But every good act has unintend-ed consequences. “Consultants” approach project owners as the project’s tenth anniversary approaches, offering comprehensive re-view of the project for “failures” which might support legal action against the construction/design team. These inspec-tions may involve tests and standards never envisioned when the project was built. One example: water is force-fed into the cavities between a brick veneer and exterior-grade sheathing, looking for evidence of leakage from the wall into the building. After testing, contractors must respond, possibly dismantle, in-spect and “repair” to new standards. Even where nothing is wrong, construction teams must expend resources to selec-tively disassemble, inspect, possibly cor-rect, and reconstruct the affected areas. It adds up!Document! Contractors can reduce exposure to these claims. First and foremost, effective documentation of work performed yields surprising benefits in these circumstanc-es. Walking the job, preserving progress photographs, and saving this informa-tion reduces losses in a couple of ways.

The process helps identify questionable work to be addressed right away. Of greater consequence, maintaining re-cords of how work was done, before it’s covered, helps defend against years-af-ter-completion claims. The ability to show, with photographs, what’s behind a wall or other structure can allow you to demonstrate proper construction, thus heading-off costly disassembly, inspec-tion and repair.Negotiate! Many contracts require removal and replacement of completed work on de-mand, often providing that removal and replacement will be at your expense un-less you “prove” that the work in place was all performed flawlessly. The ex-pense of removal and replacement should be yours only if the work is proven to have been performed defectively. Retain records Maintain project files for the entire Statute of Repose period. You should have complete records for each project you build to a period of at least ten years past the substantial completion of the entire project - conservatively, until 12 years after completion. Digital storage eases this burden. Failing to maintain such records creates problems; first, if you don’t document what happened, you’re stuck with someone else’s “story” of the project - the general contractor, the project owner, or the project archi-tect - rather than how things actually happened. Photographs, as-built draw-ings, field directives, RFI’s and e-mails all help when problems arise after project completion. Such records also help es-tablish which insurance carrier must de-fend against claims lodged down the road. Avoid the trap of multiple carriers denying responsibility for your claim, be-cause you can’t prove what was done, and when. Ironically, the Statute of Repose, in-tended to reduce claims after completion of projects, has inspired consultants and their often-conjured claims. Attempted reform of the Statute of Repose in this year’s legislative session appears to have stalled. Aggressively negotiating contract terms, and maintaining project records for a long time, are burdensome mea-sures, but their dividends can be signifi-cant. Again, the ounce of prevention can deliver a pound of cure.


Whitney WrightOwner

The Wright Striping

Growing up in the construction in-dustry, Whitney Wright decided to start her own company, The

Wright Striping, back in 2006. “My father does asphalt and con-crete work and has worked in the con-struction industry for more than 30 years,” Wright said. “I remember going to construction jobsites and helping my dad do concrete work during the sum-mertime when I was younger.” Wright says she loves what she does today because she has the opportunity to meet new people all the time. “Construction is in my blood,” she said. “I like to be outdoors. It gives me a lot of energy!” The Wright Striping provides striping, seal coating, signage, speed bumps and parking lot repairs.

Where were you born and raised, Whitney? I was born in West Virginia. My family and I moved to the Humble area when I was 1. Beside your father, did anyone else in your family work in construction or paving? Yes, my grandfather owned a paving plant and a paving company in West Vir-ginia. When he retired back in the 70s, the oil boom was just starting in Texas. My grandfather and my family moved to Texas soon after he retired. When we got to Texas, my father be-gan working for a company for about five years and then he started his own paving business.

What high school did you attend? I attended and graduated from Humble High School.

English was my favorite subject in school. I always loved to read and write. I never really liked math in school, but I use it all the time nowadays!

Did you play any sports when you were growing up in Humble? I participated on the swim team and I also lifeguarded in the summers from the time I was 17 until 21. I loved spend-ing time at different pools.

Did you compete as a swimmer? Yes, I mostly competed in swimming competitions when I was in elementary school and middle school.

Where did you lifeguard during the summers? I lifeguarded at community swim-ming pools all over the Houston area. I worked for a company and they put me wherever they needed me. The pay wasn’t great, but it was a fun job for a teenager! I enjoyed being around kids, too. What did you do next? I began doing office work for my dad’s company. I would spend time at the office and then I’d go out and mea-sure jobs. The paving business was inter-esting to me. I also worked as paralegal and as an executive secretary for a short time. I soon realized I didn’t like working in-doors all day. I really wanted to work outside so I decided striping was the best business for me.

What did you learn the most when you worked with your dad? I learned so much from my dad. One of the most important lessons he taught me was how to communicate effectively with clients. It is very challenging to be a female in the construction business. I don’t think I would cope very well in the business if I had not worked with my dad first. I had to learn over the years how to wear different hats as a female in the con-struction industry. I have to prove myself on every job.

Why did you open The Wright Strip-ing? When I worked with my dad, I would handle the striping jobs because it was something he didn’t want to do. I did several striping jobs for him. One time I did a large job for Center-Point Energy. The superintendent told me he liked my work.

He encouraged me to open my own company. My dad had an ad for his company in the Blue Book, so I decided to do the same thing. I continue to do the work myself today. I han-dle all the office work and the physical labor part of the business. I balance ev-erything very carefully! What does it take to be successful, in your opin-ion? Always do what you say you are going to do. Always keep in contact with clients. Be honest and up-front. Exceed expecta-tions. If you tell someone you will show up a 6pm, show up at 5pm, so they know you are ready. That is one of the key things I like to do for my clients. I am always the last one on the job. I am the one they are waiting on to get the in-spection completed. They can’t get the inspection until everything is complete. What advice would you give someone who wants to do what you do today? Start out in the field. Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom. Learn more than one trade in the construction industry. Learn how to use the equipment. Go for it!

Do you have any children? Yes, I have a beautiful daughter named Samantha, 21. She has been mar-ried for two years now. Her husband works in the oilfield business. Samantha currently takes classes at the University of Houston. She plans to earn a degree in photojournalism. She does photography on the side for friends and family. She has taken lots of portraits and wedding photos over the years. I remember she became interested in photography in middle school. Samantha also works as a waitress at Carrabba’s Italian Grill.

When you have free time, what are your favorite hobbies? Whenever I get the opportunity, I like to visit my friends and family in Mas-sachusetts and California.

I am currently taking online real es-tate classes in my free time. I should finish the classes in the next couple of weeks. I also just picked up running and weight lifting. I am training for my first running event in Houston at the end of the month.

Where have you and your daughter Samantha traveled to in the past? Samantha and I love to visit my fam-ily in Massachusetts. We have also trav-eled to Hawaii and California together. What are your plans for the future? I want to keep my business small and manageable. I don’t want the business to grow too much because I like to maintain the busi-ness myself. Ultimately, I’d like to do both real es-tate and operate The Wright Striping. –ab

Whitney Wright loves having the chance to work outside.

Going up?Construction News JOB SIGHT

The Dmac Construction & DevelopmentInc. crew builds the new Ellen Lightingand Hardware facility in Stafford. –ab


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

FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC

(361) 813-3716(361) 334-3105

www.baffi [email protected]

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

start conserving fish following the format of Tom Nix’s Baffin Bay Bash.

By 2005, the tournament outgrew the cabin near Bird Island and Doug moved the tournament inland. This was a great move making the tournament even more popular and easier to accommodate more anglers. By 2007, the tournament took bigger conservation efforts and only allowed three fish per team to be brought to the dock. The stringer would consist of one red, one trout and one flounder, all to be weighed-in alive to re-ceive a half-pound bonus per fish if accomplished. The tournament grew larger every year and by 2008 the tournament began to give back even more. A $6000.00 scholarship fund to be rewarded to a Texas A&M (Cor-pus Christi) student majoring in Marine Biology was announced. People were starting to take notice of this little fishing tournament making BIG efforts in conserva-tion and generosity back to the community. By 2014 the women anglers were starting to make noises that they wanted a part of the action so a woman’s tournament was started that year the day before the men’s tourna-ment. That year the tournament awarded two $6000.00 scholarships to a male and female at Texas A&M.

This year was no surprise as the Mr. & Mrs. Big Tourna-ment has grown in popularity. The ladies tournament had 12 (four-person) teams participating while the men’s tournament had 51 (four-person) teams. In all, they only killed 16 fish, 13 being trout, and one red, and two floun-der. Seventy four fish were released, 32 trout, 26 reds, and 16 flounders. These are pretty good numbers in my opinion considering most of the other tournaments that still have fish kill weigh-ins. Again, two $6000.00 scholar-ships to a male and female at Texas A&M. This brings a total of $60,000 in scholarship money donated to kids for the future. My hats of to Doug and Cindy and all the many sponsors and anglers who participate in this awe-some tournament. I only wish that some of the other tournaments would take the effort to join the conserva-tion efforts so we can enjoy our precious resources for a long time.

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]. Good luck and Good Fishing.

Tournaments forthe future

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Sponsored by:Premier Yamaha Boating Center, Majek Boats, E-Z Bel

Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggre-gate Haulers, ForEverlast Hunting and Fishing Products

and Columbia Sportswear

Fishing tournaments are becoming more popular than ever. Whether it’s freshwater or saltwater it seems like there is a tournament to fit every angler’s

level of competitiveness. While some tournaments are for fun, most benefit a charity organization or perhaps some of our soldiers returning from war, or maybe a family in need. Redfish, trout, bass, offshore or inshore – there is a tournament for you. With all the conservation concerns and limits on trophy fish being implemented, tournaments are taking a different approach. Weigh-ins consisting of limits of trout, reds, and flounder are part of the past and being replaced with three to four trout, a redfish or two and maybe a flounder. There are a few tournaments going even farther than that incorporat-ing a live fish weigh-in to their venue. All the profes-sional redfish tourneys are live weigh-in, and the trout tournaments in late winter and spring also have gone to this format.

One tournament that has grown in popularity and conservation efforts and has prov-en that everyone can benefit from our bays and estuaries is the Mr. & Mrs. Big Trout Tournament run by Doug and Cindy Niznik of San Antonio. The tournament started in 1996 as a bass tournament but after two years it was moved to the Laguna Madre and converted to a saltwater venue. I started fishing the tournament in 1998 with a hand-ful of friends (eight-10 boats) and by 2004 there were approximately 35 teams fishing. During that time the tournament implemented a live weigh-in procedure in efforts to

Ken Major, San Antonio, caught this 30-inch trout fishinglive croaker near the mouth of Baffin Bay. Fishing was

weighed, measured then released by Capt. Steve Schultz.

Keith Tull, Athens, TX, caught a redfish of a lifetime. Fish measured 47 inches and was an estimated at 35lbs. Keith was fishing in Baffin Bay with Capt. Steve Schultz. Fish was

released after measurements for a replica mount.


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

Well it didn’t forget how to rain af-ter all! Over the last several weeks we have been blessed

with the first good rains in an awfully long time. For those of you who are get-ting too much rain, I hope you come through it all right. For the rest of us though, I think it has been a long sigh of relief.

I know of several Texas lakes and rivers that have really benefitted from the re-cent rains and began to recover from the damage of the drought. Others like Lakes Buchanan and Travis still have a long way to go. Buchanan is still awaiting its turn at a good storm over the watershed to get the Colorado River rolling again, but at least the upper Hill Country is getting wetter by degrees so we can start to see significant runoff from future storms. For now we wait…and FISH!

You ever notice how you see lots of earth-worms and bugs on the top of the ground after a good rain? A fisherman sees that

and knows it’s a good day to call in sick and go fishing! When the fish bait is try-ing to crawl in the truck with you, how can you resist? You just know all those worms and grubs and bugs are being

Daviscourt, from Horizon Construction, Inc., Roofing Specialists in Austin

RAIN!

washed into the creeks, rivers and lakes and the fish are waiting for them with open mouths!

If your favorite lake has caught a lot of

water, enjoy the rush of the new water while you can. After a few days you might see a lull in the fishing as the water gets a little sour while newly flooded vegeta-tion decays. Don’t worry though, once that’s done there will be lots of good nu-trients in the water that will cause an al-gae bloom which begins the process of recharging your lake from the bait fish on up to the game fish. Great fishing ahead!If your lake is a little slow on the uptake, keep praying your turn for rain will come and enjoy the fresh, cool water you do get, because I promise you, the fish will enjoy it, especially with summer starting to heat up.

By the way hunters, can you imagine how much this rain is helping the game popu-lation? The timing is perfect to benefit the new fawns and bucks growing ant-lers. We all share in the bounty of the rain.

Try not to curse the rain, even if it ruins your day. Take a moment to feel the rain on your face and just say “Thanks”. It’s just been so long coming.

The Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN) Houston office celebrat-ed Earth Day by volunteering in

April. Employees assisted local community organizations in painting wooden fences, picking up trash and recyclables, plant-ing trees and flowers, removing weeds near fence lines and mulching trees. Everyone wore an Earth Day T-shirt designed in-house as part of a company-wide design contest. Following a morn-ing of cleanup activities, volunteers were treated to a picnic lunch. –ab

Clean team

LAN Houston employees participate in the cleanup alongWhite Oak Bayou Hike and Bike Trail near downtown.

Erwin Enojado, program manager at LAN’s Houston office, cleans the White Oak Bayou.

At least this trucker seems to have a good sense of humor. Spotted driving along a highway between New Braunfels and Seguin. –cw

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Jorge Romero, Seeberger Architecture, participated in the 43rd annual Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta 2015, a canoe and kayak race this spring.

Starting at 7700 San Felipe, just west of Voss, the finish line was at Sesquicenten-nial Park, on Preston between Bagby and Smith Streets. So what time did Romero finish the race? Just under four hours. Congrats! –ab

Rollin’ down the bayou

Alberto Romero kayaks down the Buffalo Bayou.Romero and the Regatta participants gather at the Buffalo Bayou.

Russell Hamley, Associated Builders & Contractors Houston Chapter President,

recently reached the top of Imperial Mountain in Breckenridge, CO. He

climbed 13,030 ft. –ab


Climbing to the top


L-R: Isaias Garcia, Luis Garcia and Jacob Garcia, EGV Construction Services, do the interior construction work at the Main Event project near Avenue H.

Sherrill Mechanical did the air conditioning installation. –ab

Dynamic trioConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Spark the imaginationConstruction News ON LOCATION

Welder Seth Towler does what he does best at Kelley’s Welding on Avenue H. The welding company opened 13 years ago. –ab

(972) 202-5000www.southernfastening.com

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DFW 972-202-5000 Houston 713-688-3781 Austin 512-248-9005San Antonio 210-481-1313 Valley 956-682-0402

Houston area construction professionals attended a Crawfish Boil and General Contractor’s Expo at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford May 14.

The Associated Builders and Contractors Houston Chap-ter (ABC) held the networking event. –ab

Boil it up

The S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd. teamwon the People’s Choice Award.

A live band entertained the crowd

HarveyTurner Industries

ABC members having fun at the crawfish boil.

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HVAC & Plumbing

NEXT MONTHJULY 2015 Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue

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

(210) 308-5800

Jan: Construction ForecastFeb: Construction SafetyMar: Construction Education

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

July: Electrical IndustryAug: Service ProvidersSep: Green Building Trends

Oct: Specialty ContractorsNov: Architecture & EngineeringDec: Construction Equipment

2015Schedule

Electrical Industry

Important issues include population growth, skilled labor

Kenny, Tracy and Lee Faires, OwnersFaires Plumbing Co.Edinburg, TX

What is your opinion about the current state of the construction

industry in South Texas/? We are a family owned business and it has been our experience over the years that construction is cyclical. Our company is mostly engaged in commercial/industrial plumbing in the Rio Grande Valley and we are optimistic about the next few years.

What factors are driving this opinion? The Rio Grande Valley is growing in population. That results in more construction.

What are the “hot button” issues in your industry?

The shortage of skilled labor is an ongoing issue. As people retire, it seems there are no qualified people to take their spots. Another issue is ongoing litigation. Insurance, immigration, the economy and competition are other topics we deal with.

What is on the horizon for your industry? Changes in technology, equipment, materials? The most notable change is in water heating efficiency. Laws coming through our legislature are requiring additional energy efficiency in material and equipment. This will be an additional cost to the consumer

Have there been any significant code changes in the last year? No, but the plumbing code is updated every three years and the 2015 code has not been adopted by Valley cities yet

With the recent emphasis on green building, what is the most environmentally friendly change relating to your industry? Lead free and asbestos free products, recycled materials and water conservation, along with energy efficient laws are working to make our finished product greener.

Do the new water restricting fixtures impact plumbing installation? Not really, provided the drain lines are installed properly. When the water saving fixture (toilets) were introduced using 1.6 gallons per flush, some manufacturers’ products didn’t work as well as others. But it seems that most have acceptable water saving fixtures now.

Is HVAC/Plumbing education available for those wishing to enter the industry? Yes, although there is more

education available for HVAC than plumbing.

What are the cost increases relating to your industry? Fuel, vehicles, machinery, insurance and wages are the major costs and they are always going up, it seems.

What are the rewards of the industry? Providing a safe working environment for our employees and an excellent service for our customers. Experienced and dedicated employees, repeat customers and new referrals are our greatest rewards.

What are keys to being successful? It’s crucial to have a good team and be financially strong. We believe every person is important. This includes project and office management, direct job supervision, qualified and experienced plumbers, apprentices and laborers. Faires Plumbing Co. was established in 1927 and is family owned and operated. Since its inception, the company has evolved from a one-man operation to a competitor in the commercial plumbing business.

Technology, regulations,hot topics in HVACR IndustryPaul Stalknecht, , PresidentAir Conditioning Contractors of AmericaArlington, VA

The technology in the HVACR industry is constantly evolving and becoming more efficient. This is driven

by standards from the federal government, along with homeowners and building owners/operators looking to

shrink their carbon footprint and save money on utilities.

The systems are also becoming more customer centric. Customers want to be able to have instant access to their sys-tems and to be able to control them re-motely. So, more and more manufactur-ers are developing apps for smartphones that integrate into the heating and cool-ing systems to meet this want from the customers. ACCA is spearheading an initiative to create universal diagnostic protocols for troubleshooting HVACR systems. The idea is to have a system similar to what the automotive industry has. That way, technicians have a device/tool that they can plug into any air conditioning or fur-nace, regardless of the brand, and it will return error codes that will easily allow them to diagnose the problem. This will lead to the technicians diag-nosing the problem quicker, which should lead to quicker resolution of the problem, creating happier customers, less system down time, and the ability for contractors to serve more customers. This initiative began earlier this year and there is a lot of interest in it from not only contractors, but also the leading

manufacturers in the industry.

How has the R-22 refrigerant phase out affected the industry? The last few years of the HCFC phase out are progressing without much dra-ma. It’s the next steps for refrigerants in general that should be watched closely. The EPA is reviewing proposals to al-ter the Section 608 technician certifica-tion program. This may bring some im-portant and necessary reforms to the program, like technician recertification and updated exam questions. The other big question is what will become the next effective and cheap refrigerant as the government begins to phase out HFC refrigerants.

Have there been any significant code changes in the last year? There are three code bodies that govern our industry: International Code Council (ICC), the International Associa-tion of Plumbing and Mechanical Offi-cials (IAPMO), and the National Fire Pro-tection Association (NFPA). All three of them put out documents detailing the

major changes from cycle to cycle. ACCA has a Codes Committee that stays on top of each of these changes to ensure that contractors in the industry have their voices heard during the cre-ation and implementation of them.

What is the most significant challenge your industry faces? Labor shortages? Other? Our industry faces two major chal-lenges. The first is regulatory challenges from the federal government. The HVACR industry faces a lot of “known unknowns” from the federal government in the short term. The Department Of Energy is poised to finalize 17 new regulations on manufactures, distributors, and contrac-tors over the next two years. The EPA will be looking at expanding the list of ap-proved refrigerants and may finally up-date the outdated Section 608 technician certification program. OSHA just an-nounced a new Confined Space in Con-struction rule that goes into effect later this year. The second is an aging workforce and the need to recruit more young workers into the industry. This challenge has been around for decades, so it’s noth-ing new to our industry. However, if we do not do something about it, it won’t get better. ACCA has renewed its efforts to help bring in two very important groups of people into our industry: high school stu-dents and military veterans. Earlier this year, we produced two short recruitment videos that are geared towards each of these groups. We are encouraging con-tractors to use these videos in their re-cruitment efforts. They are on the front lines recruiting new employees at job

fairs and in vocational schools; so these resources can help show potential em-ployees that the HVACR and indoor envi-ronment industry has great opportuni-ties for a long, rewarding career. And, this summer we will be launching a new web-site to help with this as well, www.ie-3jobs.com.

What are keys to being successful? It’s said a lot in our industry, but it’s true. The best thing contractors can do to ensure their business is successful is to focus on the things they can control. That means focusing on strong business prac-tices, providing education and training opportunities to their teams, and getting involved. ACCA is here to help contractors achieve those goals on all of those levels. We have increased the number of train-ing opportunities available to contrac-tors. This fall, we are heading to Indianap-olis, IA., in October for two events that are aimed at contracting business man-agers. First, we are introducing a brand new event: the Office and Operations Manag-ers Forum. This event will focus on help-ing your office team - the ones who keep things running smoothly in the office - improve their skills and increase produc-tivity for your entire team. And, of course, we are bringing back the Service Manag-ers Forum. It is one of our most popular events and has seen double digit atten-dance increases over the past three years. It will again be two days of learning and networking with top service manag-ers from across the country and some in-dustry experts that will help move your

continued Page 12


Region 7’s farewell forum

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) held its Re-gion 7 Forum Apr. 17-18 at the Hil-

ton Hill Country Hotel & Spa in San Anto-nio. This is the final Region 7 Forum be-fore Region 7 merges with Region 5 to form the South Central Region, which will include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ar-kansas and Mississippi. Region 7’s last hurrah coincided with San Antonio’s Fiesta celebration, and Fri-day evening allowed guests to join the festivities with a hospitality suite and party bus to the Fiesta Oyster Bake and Riverwalk. On Saturday morning, San An-tonio Mayor Ivy Taylor gave the opening “Welcome to San Antonio” remarks at the breakfast reception where the keynote speaker was Heloise. That evening, Region 7 closed its fi-nal forum with the awards banquet fea-turing DJ Ray and fun with lipstick/palm reading, caricatures, psychometry and Urial the Magician. Many Region 7 members took home awards that make this forum even more special to them. ESC Safety Consultants won first place for Safety Excellence in the Regional Safety category. Regional Safety Awards also went to Austin’s Hensel Phelps and Vanguard Fire Sys-tems. The DFW ladies cleaned up at the Women In Construction (WIC) Week Awards with Fort Worth taking the WOW Award, and the Dallas Chapter taking the Spread the Word Award. The Dallas and Fort Worth Chapters also took the PR & Marketing Regional Awards. The Corpus Christi Chapter won the Membership Consistency Award. The San Antonio Chapter took home the Professional De-velopment & Education Award. Dana Calonge, Vision Construction, received a 25-Year Longevity Pin. The forum also hosted several work-shops with guest speakers, including “What to Do If OSHA Shows Up/Top

OSHA Citations” by Ted Dunnam, ESC Safety Consultants; “2015 Human Re-sources Update” by Cynthia Mergele, Padgett Stratemann; “Work It Out! De-mystifying the Male Female Workplace Dynamic” by Marny Lifshen; and “The Dos and Don’ts of Social Media” by Sum-mer Salazar. NAWIC Houston Chapter took home several key awards at the event including a membership award, a WIC Week award and two PR/Marketing awards. NAWIC Houston’s Block Kids and CAD contestant local winners also took home the 1st place prize for the region in those programs. “I cannot express enough my grati-tude and pride in NAWIC Houston mem-bers for all of their hard work and dedica-tion this year,” said NAWIC Houston Presi-dent Becky Richter. “Their diligence and the time they spent on their respective committees, as well as their support of our membership, has truly paid off. I am both proud and humbled to lead the chapter this year.” –mh/ab

Photos by Mary C. Haskin Photography

The Region 7 Forum was last time these women of NAWIC will gather as Region 7 before the merge with Region 5.

NAWIC Houston members receive the PR/Marketing Most Improved Award.

NAWIC Houston Members received the Block Kids Award.

WIC Week awards received by the Austin, Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter members.

Bob Nichols, 88, passed away May 8 in Arlington. Nichols was a longtime executive at Freese

& Nichols, a Texas-based consulting firm offering engineering, architec-ture, environmental science, con-struction and planning services. During his 67-year career at Freese & Nichols, he served in sev-eral roles, most recently as President Emeritus, a position he held through this year. He primarily focused on en-vironmental engineering, coordinat-ing large-scale, multi-discipline and multi-consultant projects. He also served as Fort Worth chapter presi-dent, Texas society president and national president for the National Society of Professional Engineers. Nichols was an alumnus of Texas A&M University, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering. Nichols is survived by his wife of 67 years, Frances, three children, six grandchildren, two great grand-children, and his brother Jim (Bil-lie). In lieu of flowers, donations are requested for the Bobby Nichols Jr. Scholarship fund, P.O. Box 1, Webb City, MO 64870.

In memoriam


Round-Up

Round-UpSubmissions

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continued from Page 1 —Achieving goals

continued from Page 1 — Making an impact

continued from Page 1 — Gather ‘round the table

LJA Engineering has promoted Sa-lim Obeid, PE, as project manager in the firm’s site devel-opment division. He has more than eight years of engi-neering experience working with mu-nicipalities, architects, planners and con-tractors for a variety of projects. He grad-uated from the University of Houston with both M.S and B.S. degrees in Civil Engineering.


Golf gurus

L-R: Gary Timmons, Bobby Howell, Robert Howell and Randy Zeringuewon frst place at the recent Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) Golf

Tournament at Houston National Golf Course. –ab

continued from Page 12 —FOCUS

service operations to the next level of success. Mark your calendars now for Oct. 20-21 for the Office and Operations Managers Forum and Oct. 22–23 for the Service Managers Forum. And for those who just can’t leave their businesses for a few days, we offer plenty of online training resources. In 2012, we launched our Residential Design For Quality Installation online cer-tificate program. This online program mirrors the in-person class we hold at ACCA headquar-ters four times a year, but you can do it from your office or home, at your pace. And in 2015, we will be launching our Commercial Design For Quality Installa-tion online certificate program. Just like the residential program, it will give you the opportunity to get a full grounding of proper commercial design in compli-ance with the HVAC Quality Installation Specification. March 10–13, 2016, we will be heading to Charlotte, NC, for our Annual Conference and Expo: ACCA 2016 – the business solu-tions conference for indoor environment contractors will be a diverse learning lab program that covers almost every area of a contractors business. From commercial, residential, building performance, and hydronics topics to marketing, quality as-surance, leadership, and business opera-tions; there will be information that will help any contractor improve their opera-tions and bottom line. Mixed in with our learning labs are

our MainStages, which will blow away anyone attending. Our MainStages fea-ture some of the best big picture thinkers in the country. In 2015, we featured Econ-omist and Futurist Lowell Catlett and Business Guru Michael Gerber. We are working on setting the lineup for 2016, and as always, it will feature some of the most in-demand speakers in the country. The MainsStages also include the CEO/Contractor Forum, where contrac-tors will get to directly ask the CEOs of major manufacturing companies the tough questions. And “What’s Your Prob-lem?” which will give contractors in the audience a chance to ask a panel of their contracting peers for advice on their big-gest obstacles at their business. The IE3: Indoor Environment & Ener-gy Expo is also taking place during this time. The expo will feature 200 manufac-turers, suppliers, and industry partners that are ready and willing to help con-tractors solve their biggest problems. Outside of training, ACCA has many ways that contractors can get involved. We have committees, taskforces, coun-cils, the ACCA-PAC, and more. Volunteer leaders help make the industry stronger and when we work together for the com-mon good, we all win. So, I would encourage everyone to get involved in 2015, because things aren’t going to slow down and we are go-ing to see even more regulations come from government agencies. cw

Raymond Theriot has been promoted to assistant chief - mechanical division for the City of Hous-ton. Raymond has worked with the City of Houston for 16 years and has been a senior inspector the past three years.

Gensler has added hospitality design spe-cialist Gail McCleese to its Houston team. Prior to joining Gensler, McCleese served as the principal of design firm studioDW. She has more than 20 years of experience in creating design concepts for restaurants, hotels and resorts, casinos and senior living en-vironments. McCleese graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Houston.

said. The company has completed proj-ects at K-12 ISD campuses, hospitals, gov-ernment facilities, airports and higher education facilities. In the past, the Oxford Builders crew of carpenters helped out in the renovation of the Eagles Lift Ministries Pepsi House, a non-profit organization whose goal is to provide a home environment within a safe and secure facility for homeless, abused and/or pregnant young women. “Our company culture is based upon the ideal that everybody counts,” San-chez said. “We maintain plenty of com-munication with our clients, vendors and

employees. “Throughout my life, one of the things that makes me the happiest is to give people the opportunity to blossom and become themselves. It is amazing to give a carpenter a chance as a foreman and watch him excel.” Sanchez recently won a scholarship from Golden Sachs 10,000 Small Business and recently graduated from Golden Sachs 10,000 Small Business Cohort 12 at Houston Community College. Oxford Builders is a specialty commer-cial subcontractor in the carpentry field as-sisting Houston and surrounding areas. –ab

structures for Intercontinental Airport, the Port of Houston, Port Freeport, San Jacinto River Authority, LyondellBasell, ExxonMobil and Texas A&M University. In the springtime, the company sometimes hosts an employee barbecue for employees and their families. Folks bring ribs, sausage and all the fixings to the party. When Kazmann is not on the job, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their son, Locke and daughter, McKee. “Our kids keep us very busy these days,” he said. “I also love to play golf, travel and watch baseball when I get the chance.” Looking ahead, Kazmann is focused on building the reputation of Locke Solu-tions in the Houston market.

“We are being careful about growing too quickly because we want to make sure we maintain a high level of customer service,” he said. “I expect that we will find ourselves with an opportunity to ex-pand into more facilities over the next several years as we grow our customer base.” Locke Solutions designs and manufactures precast concrete utility structures including electrical/telecommunication pull boxes, handholes and manholes, in-dustrial sumps, valve pits, foundations, and slabs. The company is also a registered en-gineering firm and provides custom de-signed structures manufactured to meet any specification requirements from air-craft loading to heavy construction equip-ment loading. –ab

Trincon Services Group is a commercial general contractor that specializes in inte-rior commercial build outs for highrise ten-ants, office warehouse tenants, retail and restaurants tenants. –ab

Key Subcontractors: Steel Fabrication Concrete Services: CJ ServicesConcrete Services: Texas Sawing and Drilling Millwork and Stone Tops: Flores MillworkDrywall: EE CommercialCeramic Tile: UP flooringConcrete Finishing: M and M FloortechPainting: Modern InteriorsRoofing: Shelter RoofingPlumbing: Buxton PlumbingElectric: Brown ElectricMechanical: Ken’s Milestone MechanicalSprinkler: Chief Fire Systems

Pizza is served in the dining room.


Association CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

Jumping from roof to rod

The Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) held its 12th annual Fishing Tournament May 2 at

Woody’s Sports Center in Port Aransas. Hosting a record number of entrants, this was RCAT’s largest tournament to date with 44 guided boats and seven individu-al boats. –mh

Winners:Guided DivisionHeaviest Total Stringer1st: Restoration Services (Houston) – Don Wisnoski, Gary Hayes, John Randall (34.54 lbs.)2nd: Armored Roofing and RK Hydro-Vac (Wichita Falls) – Richard Koetter, Albert Martinez, Skyler Martinez (30.94 lbs.)3rd: ABC Supply (Stafford) and Joe Ochoa Roofs & Even More – Shannon Galloway, David Hernandez, Robert Garza, Larry Showalter (30.62 lbs.)Heaviest Trout1st: Mingo Lee, Mule-Hide (Houston) (7.86 lbs.)2nd: Richard Koetter, Armored Roofing (4.02 lbs.) 3rd: Marshall Powell, Mule-Hide (3.54 lbs.)Heaviest Redfish1st: Don Wisnoski, Restoration Services

(7.66 lbs.)2nd: Ted Durrett, Final Touch Roofing (Rosenberg) (7.22 lbs.)3rd: Richard Koetter, Armored Roofing (6.86 lbs.)Spot Pot: Shannon Galloway, ABC Staf-ford (8 spots)

Individual DivisionHeaviest Total Stringer1st: Rain King (Victoria) – Alan Cain, Clint Cain, Jerrod Cain, Brian Boyd (14.88 lbs.)Heaviest Trout1st: Donald Belcher, Roofing Supply Group (San Antonio) (4.66 lbs.)Heaviest Redfish1st: Alan Cain, Rain King (3.48 lbs.)

1st Heavy Trout: Mingo Lee

1st Heavy Stringer: Don Wisnoski and Chris Crutcher, RCAT president

The International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) South Central Texas, North Texas and Houston chapters

gathered May 15-16 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Bastrop for the second annual ICRI Texas State Conference.

On Friday, guests waited out an afternoon thunderstorm that briefly interrupted play at the golf outing to Pine Forest Golf Club and enjoyed a barbecue feast. On Saturday, three educational sessions were held in the morning, followed by a buffet lunch and a board meeting for all chapter leaders. –mh

Golf Winners1st Team: Dan Wicht, Ed Carter, Mark Rawlings and Mackey Welch2nd Team: Gabriel Carrera, James Robbs, Mike Pocock, Keith Knobloch, Clay Broyles

Jumping from roof to rodClosest to the Pin #7: Chris McDanielClosest to the Pin #10: Mark RawlingsMost Honest Team: Bill Light, Scott DiStefano and Mark LeMay

A Texas barbecue feast, including ribs, brisket and sausage, followed the golf

tournament.

The Independent Electrical Contractors Texas Gulf Coast (IEC) hosted aCaptain’s Party at Brady Landing after a Fishing Tournament in May. –ab


Fishing with friends

Ashley Mikolas, Baker Concrete, traveled from Houston to attend theNorthside ISD Construction Careers Fair at Construction CareersAcademy/Earl Warren High School in San Antonio May 21. –ab


Concrete ideas

ABCAssociated Builders & Contractors

Jun. 1: TCC/ACOT EHS Trade ShowJun. 3: Captain’s PartyJun. 4: CMEF GraduationJun. 5: Fishing TournamentJun. 9: OSHA 2055 & Trench SafetyJun. 10: OSHA 2055Jun. 15: OSHA 510 CourseJun. 17: MWSBE PanelJun. 22: Legislative WeekFor more information call 713-523-6222

ACCAAir Conditioning Contractors of Amer.

Houston ChapterJun. 16: 32nd Annual Summer Gala, 6pm, SPJST, 1435 Beall St.For more information call 713-781-4822

AGCAssociated General Contractors

Jun. 2-5: OSHA 501 - Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for General IndustryJun. 8: Management System Design for EHSJun. 9: Lean Unit 1: Variation in Produc-tion SystemsJun. 9-12: OSHA 500: Trainer Course in OSHA Standards for the Construction In-dustryJun. 16-17: OSHA 10-Hour Safety Course in SpanishJun. 18-19: OSHA 10-Hour Safety Course for Entry Level Construction WorkersJun. 23-26: OSHA 2225: Respiratory Pro-tectionJun. 25: Lean Unit 2: Pull in ProductionFor more information call 713-843-3700

AIAAmerican Institute of Architects

Jun. 9: I/AN meetingJun. 10: AIA Houston Urban Design Com-mittee meetingJun. 17: Texas Accessibility Standards – For more information visit www.aiahous-ton.com

ASAAmerican Subcontractors Association

Jun. 3: Membership Committee meetingJun. 17: Risk Manager/Contract Admin Peer GroupJun. 23: Safety Committee meetingFor more information call 281- 679-1877

FPAFoundation Performance Assoc.

Jun. 10: Presentation, 5pm, Seismic De-sign of Buried Flexible Structures, Speak-er: John Clark, PE, Clark Engineers Inc., HESS Club

For more information visit www.founda-tionperformance.org

IECIndependent Electrical Contractors

Jun. 1: Motor Controls Class –PLCs, Mon. 6-9pm, Contractor Members $400/Non-Members $475Jun. 17: Monthly meetingFor more information call 713-869-1976

MCAMechanical Contractors Association

Jun. 10: Membership meeting, 11:30am, HESS ClubJun. 24: Joint meeting (contractors and associate members), 11:30am, HESS ClubFor more information call 281-440-4380.

NAWICNat’l Assn. of Women in Construction

Jun. 9: General Dinner meeting: Interna-tional Construction – What’s Different, 5:30-6pm – Networking, 6pm-8pm – Dinner and Business meeting, HESS Club, Speaker: Barbra Yahn, Cost $35 Dinner and Program with reservation, $40 Din-ner and Program without reservation, $8 Program only, Guests always welcomeFor more information visit www.nawic-houston.org

NECANational Electrical Contractor Assn.

Jun. 4-6: SETX NECA Summer meetingJun. 9: Electrical Medical Trust meetingJun. 10: Local Union 527 Pension meet-ingJun. 11: Coastal Sabine Division meetingJun. 11-13: Academy of Electrical Con-tractingJun. 17: Electrical Safety & The NFPA70EJun. 23: Houston Division meeting w/Af-filiatesFor more information call 713-977-2522

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Jun. 10: Member Lunch at Saltgrass SteakhouseFor more information visit www.gulf-coastphcc.org

TSPETexas Society of Professional Engineers

Jun. 17-19: Annual ConferenceFor more information visit www.tspe-houston.org

WCAWomen Contractors Association

Jun. 4: Monthly Luncheon, Speaker: Day-na SteeleFor more information call 713-807-9977


Houston based Bailey Architects joined Shepley Bulfinch Archi-tects, a national design practice,

in early April. Shepley Bulfinch Architects presi-dent Carole Wedge says the acquisition cements a long-standing relationship that spans more than a decade. “Adding a Houston office gives us a strong presence in Texas, where signifi-cant growth is projected in the health-care and education sectors, and greater visibility in Houston, one of the country’s fastest-growing cities,” Wedge said. Shepley Bulfinch Architects and Bai-ley Architects have worked together on a series of projects in Texas, including ren-ovation and master planning for Fondren Library at Rice University and two major biomedical science buildings for the Uni-versity of Houston. The Health and Biomedical Science Building 2 is scheduled to break ground later this year. “Having the Bailey team join us is a great fit all around,” Wedge said. “We look forward to taking our collaboration to a new level as we pursue new oppor-tunities as one firm.” This is the third office for Shepley Bulfinch Architects, which established a Phoenix office in 2009 and is headquar-tered in Boston. The firm’s first project in Texas was Dallas Hall, which marked the start of the Southern Methodist Universi-ty campus when it was completed in 1911. Founded in 1874 by renowned archi-tect Henry Hobson Richardson, Shepley Bulfinch Architects is architecture, planning and design firm. –ab

Smooth merge

Cope Bailey, Assoc. AIA

Mark Boone, AIA, LEED AP

Ray Leiker, AIA

Independent contractor Francisco Montoya does a concrete repair job at the Captain D’s Seafood Restaurant in Rosenberg. –ab

All in a day’s workConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Educators, mentors and supporters of ACE Mentor Houston, came to-gether to see final student presenta-

tions and award annual scholarships in April. More than 200 high school students in the greater Houston area sharpened their pencils for the annual ACE Mentor Houston Competition. Houston Independent School Dis-trict hosted the event during their “When I Grow Up Expo”. During the school year, students worked on projects and learned about construction, architecture and engineer-ing in preparation of the event. Angela Cotie, ACE Mentor Houston chairman of the board, says 40 teams of students, presented their projects in less than eight minutes to a panel of judges. The top six teams continued on to the finals, which competed in front of a crowd of more than 200 and were judged a final time by three judges, including Ja-cob Mumm, Bechtel; Tim McLean, Turner Construction and Brian Benefiel, Hoar Construction. Erin Kueht, Walter P Moore, stated, “This event is the culmination of all of the student’s hard work throughout the year. It’s amazing to see the creativity and thought that these high school groups put into their projects and the pride they take presenting it to experienced profes-sionals.”

Determined to succeed

L-R: 1st Place: Meditech Engineering: Maternity Hospital - San Paulo: Rebecca Chavez, Jonathan Diaz, Hannah Lu, Helen Lu, Pablo Palma, and Morgan White

The scholarship winners

Adam Cryer, Pinnacle Structural Engineers, shared, “The year-end com-petition is a truly exciting event where we all get to see the pure enthusiasm, anxiety, and joy of our students present-ing the projects that they have poured their hearts into, as a team.” More than 30 local architecture, en-gineering and construction firms provid-ed more than 130 volunteers to mentor the students throughout the school year. Currently over 300 students are en-rolled in the mentoring program at seven different locations throughout Houston. ACE Mentor Houston provides guid-ance and assistance for students interested in careers in the architecture, construction and engineering industry. –ab

The Construction EcoServices Systems Solutions team led the Bagby Street TourApr. 22. Located in the Midtown District of Houston, the Bagby Street redevelopment

project is the first certified Greenroads Project in Texas. –ab

Green streetSubmitted to Construction News

The Lone Star Executive Airport recently had its ribbon cutting ceremony for therunway extension project in Conroe. Klotz Associates designed the project and

provided the construction management. –ab

Cutting the ribbonSubmitted to Construction News


Hector Hernandez, MX Services, finishes painting a sign at Fiesta Mart on Hwy 90. He has worked in his industry for more than 30 years. –ab

Follow the signsConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Rising to the topSubmitted to Construction News

A topping out ceremony took place at the Methodist Hospital Sugar Land project in March. Representatives from WHR Architects, Walter P Moore, Vaughn Construction

and Smith Seckman Reid attended the event. –ab

More than 100 individuals in the construction industry attended Houston Fall Prevention Safety Day May 12. During the afternoon, presentations and safe-ty demonstrations took place on jobsites and offices around the city.

Supporting the National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction, the American Subcontractors Association Houston Chapter (ASA), Houston South Area Office U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA), Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston (ABC), Central South Carpenters Regional Council (CSCRC), Gulf Coast Safety Institute/College of the Mainland, and Scaffold & Access Industry Asso-ciation (SAIA) signed a two-year alliance agreement. ASA Houston executive director Brianna Boudreau says the alliance was created to provide participant members and others with information, guidance, and access to training resources that will help them protect the health and safety of workers, particu-larly by reducing and preventing exposure to fall hazards in the construction industries and addressing fall related issues, and understanding the rights of workers and the responsibilities of employers under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. –ab

Safety first

The Safety Stand Down partners sign the agreement at the safety event.

The Safety Stand Down at Texas Moisture Protection.

L-R: J.R. McCoslin, Copperfield Electric and Luis Camarron, Be & De Construction, are busy at work at a McDonald’s remodeling project in Rosenberg. –ab

Taking measureConstruction News JOB SIGHT

Sterling Structures and Shepley Bulfinch employees completed a home improvement project directed under the Rebuilding Together Houston organization. Crew leader and

project manager David Clark, Sterling Structures, led the event. The on time delivery brought much joy to home owner Mary Wooden. –ab

Joining togetherSubmitted to Construction News

The students of The Rice Building Work-shop, Rice School of Architecture, designed

and installed this structure called“Convergence” at Hermann Park.

The structure is made out of concrete,steel and stainless steel. –ab

Art in the parkSubmitted to Construction News

Go Rockets!Submitted to Construction News

L-R: Jhanz, Bertha and Javier Zavala, Universal Materials LLC, are Houston Rockets fans. The company provides

construction materials, building materials, long framing lumber and hardware. –ab

houston construction news june 2015

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