1. The Industry’s Newspaper
™
CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION
Austin
Building relationships
continued on Page 17 continued on Page 17
continued on Page 17
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Covering the Industry’s News
www.constructionnews.net (210) 308-5800 Volume 14 Number 3 MARCH 2014
O
wner Todd Warren, says he and
his business partner Owen Ruh
opened Green Link in Aug. 2012.
“The early days were filled with learn-
ing opportunities to really figure out
what made us different from the compe-
tition and where we gave the most value
to our customers,” Warren said.
“We're young guys. I'm 24 and Owen
is 22. A lot of people weren't sure about
our mission at first, but once we demon-
strated capability and began winning the
big jobs, we found that people really got
behind us and rallied our business. We're
here to make an impact on this industry
that lasts a long time.”
According to Warren, the company is
currently expanding and cautiously hir-
ing.
“We've set up a supplier partnership
in central Texas for installation services -
the idea is to stabilize our work against
the cyclical nature of large construction
projects,” Warren said. “We've also been
lucky to find a solid group of guys to
build our team around. Right now, we're
just trying to grow in a smart way and
keep repeat business as our number one
priority.
“I've worked for small companies
and Fortune 500 multi-national corpora-
tions, but this is my first venture into
building a company that reflects my
own vision. I really enjoy learning some-
thing new every day and having the op-
portunity to get my hands dirty. It's not
L-R: Owen Ruh and Todd Warren
J
oeris General Contractors Ltd. re-
cently completed the H-E-B Grocery
– Round Rock, TX. The owner is H-E-B
Grocery Co.
Project Manager Al Grothues says
the 120,000sf new construction project
took nine months to complete and the
approximate contract cost was $10 mil-
lion.
The construction materials the con-
struction team used included sealed con-
crete floors, CMU/split face block exterior
wall, drywall interior partitions painted,
structural steel towers, engineered metal
building, TPO roof, and front wall metal
studs with EIFS, he said.
Grothues says the front tower was a
lot of tonnage to construct in a short
amount of time.
“Coordination with inspecting au-
thorities was a challenge due to the ag-
gressive schedule of the project,” he said.
“An additional challenge was coordinat-
ing activity with another general con-
tractor that was on site completing their
portion of the project – site and utilities.
“The presence of two general con-
tractors made communication critical in
order to ensure all inspections were
timely and the Certificate of Occupancy
could be obtained on schedule.”
According to Grothues, the front
towers make the design and construc-
tion unique. They include large structural
steel trusses with large storefront in the
towers.
“Joeris is fortunate to have a long-
standing relationship with H-E-B Gro-
cery,” he said. “Because our firm has had
the privilege to build more than 40 stores
for the company, the H-E-B project man-
agers and construction management
The H-E-B Grocery – Round Rock, TX
Capitol dome
A
lan Heine is both the founder and
owner for Alan Heine Painting
Inc. He was born and raised in Aus-
tin, TX.
“I established the company in 1982,”
Heine said. “My dad was fireman and he
painted on the side. I remember sanding
old wood screens at homes in Austin
when I was 8. My dad started me off
early!
“I have gone from having a three
man crew to 18 employees. We had a
good year in 2013. In fact, it was our best
year ever.
“Some of my employees have
worked with me for more than 15 years.
We look forward to having another good
year in 2014.”
A commercial job Alan Heine Paint-
ing has worked on lately is a retirement
home in Austin. The company did all the
painting and drywall work.
“My favorite part about my job today
is knowing customers are satisfied with a
job well done,” he said. “My advice for
someone who wants to be a painter is to
learn the trade and have a journeyman
teach you. You also have to know how to
interact with clients. Pay attention to de-
tails and execute complicated projects.”
When Heine has free time, he says he
likes going waterskiing. He has water-
skied since he was 4.
“My family and I love spending time
at Lake Austin on the weekends.” he said.
One of the crews and son taking a break on a project at Four Seasons Condos.
2. Page 2 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
Stucco & EIFS Products • Custom Color Matching
Cement, Lath & Trim Products
23703 IH-35, #101B Kyle, TX 78640
512.268.5600
conveniently located to service Austin and San Antonio
M
aybe it was because he was born
the same year his dad, John P.
Ahern, created the business.
Perhaps he couldn’t help but think of
his dad and his mom Martha, and scores
of faithful employees who put so much
of their own hard work into the company.
Maybe he remembered all of his ear-
ly days hauling a scissor lift from custom-
er to customer trying to prove that he
understood their equipment needs.
Or maybe it was due to the fact that
the family business had always felt like
his destiny, and that his customers and
employees felt like his own family.
Whatever it was, Don Ahern wasn’t
going to let someone else determine the
fate of his company, Ahern Rentals.
Don literally grew up in the rental
equipment business his dad founded in
1953 on Las Vegas land that the Strato-
sphere now calls home. When his dad de-
cided to stick with renting smaller equip-
ment, Don followed his own dream and
started an aerial work platform division
from scratch in 1978. After the senior
Ahern decided to retire from the busi-
ness, Don worked a deal out with his fam-
ily so that he could acquire the business
both through inheritance and as a pur-
chase from his siblings. Don then com-
bined it with his existing stores in the
1980s, eventually growing the business
to 81 stores in 22 states.
Don learned a great deal owning his
own equipment rental business for 36
years: The customer is always first, the
product second, and the service is as im-
portant as the product itself. Get all of the
Ahern moves ahead
things right for the customer and then
the profits will come. Understand that
equipment is not the end result of what
the customer is trying to do, but only the
means by which to get it done, and make
sure it will be “rental ready” and consis-
tently operational for the customer be-
cause that is what is important to the cus-
tomer. Push the envelope to make prod-
ucts more compatible with what the cus-
tomer is trying to accomplish. All busi-
ness is done locally; it doesn’t matter
how big a company is, if it can’t provide
the service and the products that people
want at the local level, it will not suc-
ceed.
These lessons helped him grow the
business, but recently, Don overcame a
particularly tough lesson when a hostile
takeover threatened to destroy his com-
pany. The financial structure of Ahern in-
cluded the large portfolio of bond hold-
ers that owned publicly traded bonds is-
sued by Ahern. When the severe down-
turn occurred in 2008 and 2009, investors
fled the bond market, unloading their
bonds for far less than their value. When
a group of funds tried to force the con-
version of the bonds into equity so that
they would end up owning the company
itself, Don learned that they were not in-
terested in getting paid back even the
full amount of the money owed – what
they wanted was his company. To add to
the problem, a bank facing scrutiny at the
time would not allow the commercial
loan to be restructured. That began what
was a serious legal struggle. To end it,
Don made a tactical move.
“He had over $50 million available,”
says Enoch Stiff, who has served on
Ahern Rentals’ board of directors since
2005. “The first thing he did was go to all
of the vendors and made sure that they
were all paid right up to the date.” Then
Don declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“It allowed the commercial line to be
restructured and it allowed the company
to buy time so that it would be able to
strengthen itself to the point where it
could buy out, or at least raise the money
to buy out, the bond holders so their
threat on the equity would no longer be
there. It was a tactical maneuver, a short
period of time and it worked.”
Stiff says that even with the econo-
my’s struggle and the bankruptcy, Ahern
is stronger than it has ever been in the
company’s history. It is also on the cusp of
a new era: Don’s son, Evan Ahern, has
taken over as president of Ahern Rentals.
“Don’s son is extremely competent
and Don has been blessed with having
the next generation in a position to take
it from where it is to nurture and grow it
in years to come,” Stiff says. “That transi-
tion is taking place now; Don just hit 60
years old this year and he is working with
Evan to make that transition over time.
This is a family business that has been
born, bred and brought up in the rental
industry, and Ahern Rentals continues to
drive the industry forward.” –mjm
L-R: Ahern CEO & Chairman Don Ahern with company president Evan Ahern
4. Page 4 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
Doug Moore,Owner
General Sheet Metals
D
oug Moore purchased Marble
Falls, TX-based General Sheet
Metals in Nov. 2009. The company
provides residential and commercial
sheet metal work.
“I do just about anything you can
build out of a piece of sheet metal,”
Moore said.
“I work with copper, stainless steel
and brass. I also do roof flashings, chim-
ney caps, countertops and lights.
“Before I bought the company, I
worked at General Sheet Metals for close
to five years. I have worked in the sheet
metal trade for almost 40 years.”
Where did you grow up, Doug?
I am originally from Austin and I was
raised in Llano, TX. I attended Crockett
High School in Austin. I lived in Austin
when the Armadillo World Headquarters
was still open in the ‘70s.
What musicians did you have the
chance to see play at the Armadillo
World Headquarters?
I enjoyed seeing Waylon Jennings,
Willie Nelson and Freddie King play live
at the Armadillo World Headquarters.
In addition, I saw Stevie Ray Vaughn
play the guitar before he made it big. I
saw him perform at a place called the
Blue Flame, which is no longer open. Ste-
vie Ray Vaughn was an amazing guitar
player. I am lucky I got to see him play
live.
What was your very first job?
I actually started out doing roofing
projects in Austin for my very first job. I
helped my dad after school and in the
summertime. He did sheet metal and
roofing work too.
What important lessons did your dad
teach you?
My dad mainly did sheet metal and
roofing work while I was growing up. He
did a lot of install work.
He taught me how to install roof
flashings properly. I went out to the
commercial jobs with him and learned
everything I could at the time.
He was very knowledgeable and a
hard worker. He taught me the impor-
tance of a good work ethic.
Did you have any other family who
worked in the construction industry
when you were growing up?
Yes, I had two uncles who worked in
the sheet metal and roofing business.
What did you do after high school?
I went into the service instead of
graduating high school. I was in the ser-
vice for two years.
Next, I moved out to Odessa, TX for a
while and worked for a land and marine
drill pipe company.
I refurbished drill pipe and then real-
ized I wanted to work in the sheet metal
trade.
Why did you decide to work in the
sheet metal trade?
The main reason I decided to work in
the sheet metal trade is I like building
things.
It seemed like the thing to do and I
just kept at it all these years. I worked for
other companies before I purchased
General Sheet Metals.
I set up and ran several sheet metal
shops in Austin. I mainly worked out in
the field during those years. It was a
great experience.
I love what I do today. One of the rea-
sons I went into business for myself was I
got tired of working for other people.
How have things progressed at your
company since 2009?
Business has been good, especially
in recent months. I have earned a good
reputation in the Marble Falls area. I
mainly get new business by word of
mouth.
What is the best part about what you
do?
This is what I do. I just enjoy it. I re-
ally enjoy doing all the custom metal
work. I like challenges and I am chal-
lenged all the time.
What advice would you give a young
person interested in working in the
sheet metal trade?
Well, it is a dying trade. I think you
really have to like math and have an inter-
est in building things. Go for it if it is
something you really want to do.
How has the trade changed since you
got started in the ‘70s?
Nowadays there is computerized
shears and equipment. I am actually still
using the old equipment and it works for
me.
I like doing things the old way and
my customers like it too. I focus on qual-
ity and service, two things you used to
get about 30 years ago.
What do you like to do in your free
time?
I restored a yellow 1993 Corvette on
the weekends a few years ago. I bought
the Corvette as a restoration project.
I painted the car yellow myself and
worked on the engine and the interior. It
was my second Corvette!
I don’t work on my Corvette as much
as I used to these days. I have been work-
ing on an old truck after work and on the
weekends. I bought the truck off a farm.
It is a 1979 blue Chevy Dooley truck.
Do you enjoy going fishing?
I love going fishing when the weath-
er is nice and I get the opportunity to go.
I like going fishing for catfish near Lake
Buchanan.
I do like spending time at Lake Mar-
ble Falls and Lake LBJ too. I like to go visit
a friend of mine who lives on Lake LBJ
from time to time. It is a beautiful place.
What types of commercial jobs have
you worked on?
I did the sheet metal work at the
Fresh & Fruti Frozen Yogurt project in
Marble Falls.
I do most of my work in the shop. I
try to stay in the shop. If I get custom job
that is has to be done a certain way, I go
out and do it myself.
I make sure customers are satisfied
with the job and I make sure everything is
right.
I am currently working on stainless
steel door guards for Scott & White Hos-
pital. I have done quite a bit of sheet
metal work for hospitals over the years.
In addition to serving customers in
Marble Falls, I also do work in Austin,
Blanco, Llano, Cedar Park and the San
Saba area.
Do you have any employees?
No, I am the only one at the shop
right now. Things slowed down for a cou-
ple of months but now I am busy again. I
am going to need a helper very soon.
Do you have any children?
Yes, I have a 7-year-old boy and an
8-year-old boy. They keep me busy! My
sons come to the shop with me on Satur-
days.
They work with me just like I worked
with my dad. They love piddling around
the shop. One of my sons recently made
a robot out of some extra sheet metal. He
is also tying to do a roof flashing.
Have you and your sons traveled any-
where lately?
No, we usually stay around Marble
Falls. It is hard to get away for more than
a few days because I am so tied up with
the business.
I am the only one here so I don’t get
out as much as I’d like to. I have enjoyed
traveling in the past.
Where was the last place you visited
outside of Texas?
I traveled to Florida years ago. I main-
ly spent time in the Orlando area. The
beaches were gorgeous in Florida.
Why do you enjoy living and working
in Marble Falls?
Marble Falls is the place to be! I love
living and working in a small town. I
wouldn’t want to live in the city because I
don’t like traffic. I like living near trees
and lakes.
Do you have a shop dog?
Yes, I have an old Chihuahua mix
named Foxy Girl. She comes to the shop
with me every day.
Foxy Girl hangs out with me just
about everywhere I go. I also have Blue
Heeler named Bandit.
Bandit also comes to the shop with
me. Foxy Girl and Bandit are both great
dogs.
What are your plans for General Sheet
Metals?
I want to stay right here in Marble
Falls. I want to keep doing things the old
fashioned way.
In your opinion, what does it take to be
successful?
It takes years of experience to be suc-
cessful.
Do you think your children will work at
the company one day?
Both of my sons like to come to the
shop and build things. We will see if they
decide to work in the sheet metal trade.
They get the company when I am gone.
–ab
Doug Moore and his dog, Foxy Lady
Publishing the Industry’s News . . .
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Submitted to Construction News
Project Manager Nathaniel Orona, Central Texas Construction
and his new Labrador puppy get out in the field after a rainstorm. –ab
5. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 5
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Attention to details
S
oco Window & Door has operated
at the same location on South Con-
gress Avenue four years.
“Our former name was The Soco Stu-
dio Windows & Doors but we shortened
it last year to Soco Window & Door,” said
Zachary Springborn, owner and sales
manager.
John Sells is also an owner and op-
erations manager, Rebecca Mahar is the
office manager and Max Eastman is a
sales representative.
“It has been a great experience
reaching out to the local building com-
munity,” Springborn said. “We're still re-
ally focused on educating our clients on
developments in the fenestration indus-
try.
“We moved to our new expanded
showroom in late February. We will have
the same address, Suite 114. We'll have
more space for displays, expanding our
staff and hosting clients.
“Every day is different. Because we
offer such a wide range of products and
services we're always working on some-
thing new and exciting.
“I think to be successful in this indus-
try you have to be patient, pay attention
to details and listen carefully to your cli-
ents so that everybody wins in the end.”
Springborn says on the side he and
Sells are avid mountain bikers and dog
lovers.
“We are excited to expand our show-
room and office,” he said. “We look for-
ward to expanding the business signifi-
cantly over the next 18 months. We'll
have a particular focus on custom resi-
dential and commercial projects going
forward.”
Soco Window & Door provides com-
mercial and residential windows, doors
and installation service. –ab
L-R: Rebecca Mahar, Zachary Springborn, John Sells and Max Eastman
J
im Manskey is now the president of
the 27-year-old firm TBG Partners.
Founder Earl Broussard will main-
tain day-to-day involvement and contin-
ue to serve as chairman of the board of
directors.
Originally founded in 1987 by Brous-
sard and colleague Tom Afflerbach, TBG
has grown from a two-man shop in Aus-
tin to a firm of more than 100 profession-
als with offices in Austin, Dallas, Fort
Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, San
Antonio and Tulsa.
“Having had the opportunity to
know and work with Jim for more than 30
Passing the torch
years, I can speak to the caliber of not
only his design talents but his people
skills and leadership capabilities,” said
Broussard. “Jim will set a new direction
for the firm within the framework of con-
tinued growth and diversification.”
TBG provides landscape architecture,
planning and environmental graphic de-
sign services. –ab
Jim Manskey
Earl Broussard
6. Page 6 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
TexasFranchiseTax: Agood
yearfortheconstructionindustry
Jon Wellington, J.D., Director of State and Local Tax
Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLC
Dallas, TX
2013 was a good year for the construction industry as
it relates to the Texas Franchise Tax. Most important-
ly, the industry was successful in getting the Comptrol-
ler’s Office to make significant changes in its policy with
respect to the Cost of Goods Sold Deduction (COGS De-
duction). As an added bonus, the Texas Legislature
passed several measures beneficial to the construction industry.
Comptroller Policy and Rule 3.588
While the construction industry is clearly
eligible to use the COGS Deduction, it is
far less clear what costs they are allowed
to include. The statute provides that
costs of goods sold include all “direct
costs” of acquiring or producing the
goods. Neither the statute nor Rule 3.588
(providing the Comptroller’s interpreta-
tion of the COGS Deduction statute) de-
fine direct costs. In a 2011 decision, the
Comptroller provided that in the con-
struction industry, direct labor costs only
include wages and benefits paid to indi-
viduals who physically make a change to
real property. Because supervisory labor
was an “indirect” labor cost, such labor
costs were only allowed as indirect or ad-
ministrative overhead costs (which are
limited to a 4% cap).
In 2013, the construction industry
successfully helped change the Comp-
troller’s policy, with the new policy being
enacted through changes in Rule 3.588.
The Rule now provides that direct costs
include labor costs, other than service
costs (i.e., indirect and administrative
costs) that “are properly allocable to the
acquisition or production of goods and
are of the type subject to capitalization or
allocation under Treasury Regulation Sec-
tions 263A-1(e) or 1.460-5… without re-
gard to whether the taxable entity is re-
quired or actually capitalizes such costs
for federal income tax purposes.” In plain
language, labor costs relating to supervi-
sory personnel, such as supervisors or
project managers, are now includable in
the Texas COGS Deduction because they
are allowed as costs of goods sold for fed-
eral income tax purposes (management
costs are still limited by the 4% cap). This
is a significant change that has the poten-
tial to make a dramatic impact on a con-
struction company’s franchise tax liability.
Two other changes to Rule 3.588 are
also worth highlighting. First, the modi-
fied Rule expands the types of costs that
qualify as deductible benefits to include
job-related education, business use of a
company car, out-of-town travel/meal re-
imbursements, and per diem payments.
Second, additional property taxes are in-
cluded in the COGS deduction, including
those paid on buildings and equipment;
and perhaps inventory, if the property is
used in relation to services that are a di-
rect cost of production.
Not only are these policy changes
significant going forward, they also po-
tentially open the door for refund claims
for previous years. Taxpayers should
consider whether they can file refund
claims for prior years or challenge a pre-
vious audit assessment that related to
any of the above issues.
2013 Legislative Changes
The Texas Legislature also made
some positive changes to the Texas Fran-
chise Tax. Most importantly to the con-
struction industry, it is now much easier
to exclude flow-through payments to
subcontractors from a company’s total
revenue. Texas statutes allow a taxpay-
er’s total revenue to exclude certain flow-
through payments mandated by con-
tract to be distributed to other entities,
including payments relating to improve-
ments on real property or the location of
the boundaries of real property. Flow-
through payments to subcontractors
should therefore be excluded from a
company’s total revenue.
The Comptroller, however, narrowly
interpreted this provision, only allowing
a taxpayer to exclude subcontracting
payments when a prime contract was in
place stating that a specific portion of
the work will be subcontracted. Because
contractors typically do not identify
which portions of a project will be com-
pleted through the use of subcontractors
at the time of the initial prime contract,
they often lost the ability to take advan-
tage of this exclusion. The new law es-
sentially removes the requirement that a
prime contract explicitly require a con-
tractor to use subcontractors.
Conclusion
The above changes to Comptroller
policy and Texas law should be very ben-
eficial to the construction industry. How-
ever, the facts and circumstances of ev-
ery company are different. Before mak-
ing any material changes to how you file
your Texas Franchise Tax Reports, or fil-
ing any refund claims, consider speaking
with a franchise tax specialist.
Wellington has 15 years experience in
state and local tax. He can be reached at
214-461-1430 or at jwellington@lgt-cpa.
com
Accident Prone?
Jim Greaves, Director Risk Management Services
Catto & Catto LLP
San Antonio TX
Have you ever heard the phrase, “That person is acci-
dent prone”? There is no such thing as an accident or
injury prone person. If we were to observe the manner in
which most companies review accidents, we would find
that the majority focus solely on the accident instead of a comprehensive analysis to
include factors leading up to the accident.
When we look beyond the obvious
to the underlying systemic causes of an
accident, we often notice the same root
and contributing causes turning up again
and again. What is the common denomi-
nator in most on-the-job accidents? The
answer is the human factor. Yes, people
are the common denominator in the ac-
cident equation.
Can we anticipate or predict where
the next accident will occur? Unfortu-
nately, human error is not predictable to
a specific degree of accuracy. However,
multiple or an excessive number of acci-
dents is a symptom of a problem with the
human factor.
Is it the behavior of the employee or
supervisor that is causing the accidents?
It could be both. For example, you have
one employee who has experienced mul-
tiple eye injuries. During the accident in-
vestigation, it is identified that the em-
ployee is not wearing his safety glasses. If
we focus only on the fact that the em-
ployee is not wearing the proper person-
al protective equipment (PPE), our focus
is short sighted. As a result, the same
type of accidents will most likely contin-
ue to occur.
To get to the heart of the problem,
we have to ask ourselves, “Is this a result
from not following prescribed policies
and procedures? Or is it a lack of proper
training? Why is this employee not wear-
ing the proper PPE?”
This is a good start, but don’t stop
there. We should also ask, “Why is he or
she allowed to work without the safety
gear? Why is there no enforcement of the
safety rules and procedures? Is the su-
pervisor or manager on the same page as
corporate staff?”
The challenge many organizations
face has to do with understanding how
to proactively hold others accountable for
safety performance. This is quite different
than safety results. Are expectations
clear? If the answer is “Yes”, are we certain
performance expectations are clear or
just result expectations? Are we proac-
tively outlining what performance is ex-
pected and holding employees account-
able prior to a review of the results?
To make a marked difference in the
number and severity of accidents, we
must have the following fundamentals in
place and be sure to communicate them
to every employee at every level of em-
ployment:
• visible corporate & middle manage
ment commitment
• focused and committed supervisory
personnel
• safety buy in from all employees
• training to teach and reinforce the
organization’s safety culture
Many organizations strive to achieve
a zero accident culture. However, safety
cannot be measured purely by an ab-
sence of accidents or injury. Truly being
safe means not being at risk. Although it is
unlikely that completely removing all
risks from the construction industry is be-
yond our reach, reducing risk and boost-
ing overall safety absolutely is within our
grasp.
As a working director, Greaves current-
ly handles risk management and safety
programs for various businesses through-
out the state of Texas. He is closely involved
with the Risk Management team members
to ensure that clients receive exceptional
risk management, safety and claims con-
sultation services. Prior to joining Catto &
Catto, Greaves worked with the Baptist
Health System as Safety Manager. He has
gained vast experience in the safety field
working in the construction, manufactur-
ing, retail, hospitality and healthcare indus-
tries. Greaves received his bachelors’s de-
gree of science in mechanical engineering
from University of Tulsa. He is certified as a
Field Safety Representative (FSR) and as an
Approved Professional Safety Source (APS)
by the State of Texas. Jim is a member of
the American Society of Safety Engineers,
Applied Ergonomics from HumanTech,and
a Master Instructor for the Crisis Prevention
Institute. He can be reached at his San An-
tonio office at 210-222-2161, or jgreaves@
catto.com
7. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 7
Communication tower safety
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
OSHA is concerned about the alarming increase in
preventable injuries and fatalities at communica-
tion tower worksites. In 2013 13 fatalities occurred in this
industry, more than in the previous two years combined. This disturbing trend ap-
pears to be continuing, with the four worker deaths occurring in the first five weeks of
2014. In an effort to prevent these tragic incidents, OSHA is increasing its focus on
tower safety.
In order to erect or maintain commu-
nication towers, employees regularly
climb towers, using fixed ladders, sup-
port structures or step bolts, from 100
feet to heights in excess of 1000 or 2000
feet. Employees climb towers through-
out the year, including during inclement
weather conditions. In order to erect or
maintain communication towers, em-
ployees regularly climb towers, using
fixed ladders, support structures or step
bolts, from 100 feet to heights in excess
of 1000 or 2000 feet. Employees climb
towers throughout the year, including
during inclement weather conditions.
Some of the more frequently en-
countered hazards include:
• Falls from great heights
• Electrical hazards
• Hazards associated with hoisti
ing personnel and equipment
with base-mounted drum hoists
• Inclement weather
• Falling object hazards
• Equipment failure
• Structural collapse of towers
Maintenance of communication
towers is covered by 29 CFR 1910.269,
OSHA’s regulation on telecommunica-
tions. Erection of new communication
towers is covered by the OSHA construc-
tion regulations contained in 29 CFR
1926.
Ensure that workers who climb tele-
communications towers to perform con-
struction activities are protected from
falls. For example, workers can use ladder
safety devices meeting the criteria of 29
CFR 1926.1053(a)(22) or personal fall ar-
rest systems (PFAS) meeting the criteria of
29 CFR 1926.502(d). A PFAS is used to ar-
rest a worker in a fall from a working level.
It consists of an anchorage, connectors,
and a body harness, and may include a
lanyard, a deceleration device, a lifeline,
or a suitable combination thereof.
• Train workers to safely erect,use,
maintain and disassemble the ladder
safety device (29 CFR 1926.1060) or the
PFAS(29CFR1926.503),beforetheybegin
working. Training should include how to
identify hazards, inspect the equipment
and cover all fall protection equipment
needed for the job. For example,
train employees on how to safely use
positioning devices (29 CFR 1926.502(e))
when working on an elevated vertical
surface.
• Never use defective equipment.
Inspect ladder safety devices and PFAS
(29 CFR 1926.502(d)(21)) for visible
defects or damage, such as parts that
are not working properly, wear, broken
stitches or bad buckles—before each
use, after any incident that could cause
damage and as recommended by the
manufacturer. Remove from service fall
protection equipment activated during a
fall and make sure that it is inspected by
a competent person (29 CFR 1926.32(f))
and determined to be undamaged
before using it again.
natarajan.joann@dol.gov
512-374-0271 x232
Discrimination on I-9
verification is risky
business
Richard A.Gump,Jr.,Shareholder
Lauren B.Allen,Associate
Law Offices of Richard A.Gump,Jr.
Dallas,TX
Liability: a single word that carries sig-
nificant weight, and in the construc-
tion industry avoiding liability can mean
the difference between a good profit and
a bad loss. While no business can fully es-
cape it, many have tried to eliminate their
company’s vulnerability with best prac-
tices (e.g. auditing; training; written poli-
cies and procedures) in such areas as safe-
ty, employment and verification, and con-
struction standards. But when it comes to
the hiring of new employees a rigorous
methodology can often times have the
reverse effect, thereby placing employers
at an increased risk of exposure.
Form I-9 discrimination is one such
threat that employers must address to
avoid significant fines, government over-
sight, and overall reputation damage.
During the Form I-9 verification process
the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
specifically prohibits employer discrimi-
nation against individuals on the basis of
their citizenship or immigration status, or
based on an individual’s national origin.
While a seemingly straight forward em-
ployer regulation, the Department of Jus-
tice’s Office of Special Counsel for Immi-
gration-Related Unfair Employment Prac-
tices (OSC), which investigates charges of
employment discrimination based upon
an individual’s citizenship or immigration
status, maintains an intricate interpreta-
tion that can leave employers questioning
every hiring strategy established. And
with OSC investigations on the rise due to
increased referrals from other enforce-
ment agencies, employers must be acute-
ly aware of their verification protocols.
When completing the Form I-9 the
most common employer risk prevention
tactic is to specifically request the em-
ployee to present a particular supporting
document (e.g. U.S. passport or perma-
nent resident card). Although often
done in good faith to ensure valid em-
ployment authorization or responding to
the employee’s request as to which docu-
ment to present, OSC perceives this ap-
proach as discriminatory in nature be-
cause only the employee can legally
choose which document to present. In
contrast, when an employer requests too
many supporting documents (e.g. List A,
List B and List C), this constitutes docu-
ment abuse and can also be construed as
discrimination. The employer must strictly
follow the I-9 requirements: either a List A
or List B and List C document(s).
Additional OSC discriminatory inter-
pretations that take employers by sur-
prise include the following:
Form I-9 reverifications are not
meant for everyone. Even though perma-
nent resident cards and U.S. passports
maintain expiration dates, neither per-
manent residents nor U.S. citizens need
to be reverified for I-9 purposes. To do
otherwise exposes an employer to dis-
crimination liability.
Job acceptance prior to document
production. Getting a jump start on the
hiring of authorized workers by request-
ing employment authorization docu-
ments before the individual has accepted
the job can mean jumping head first into
discrimination litigation. There must be a
job offer and an acceptance prior to doc-
uments being produced.
Future expiration of documents
does not preclude a potential hire. Form
I-9 identifies three types of employees
who qualify as work authorized: U.S. citi-
zens, permanent residents, and work au-
thorized aliens. As long as the employee
presents an unexpired employment au-
thorization document, this individual is
employment eligible and should not be
excluded from hiring endeavors.
The potential for Form I-9 discrimi-
nation is enormous if an employer does
not properly train its personnel regard-
ing appropriate hiring protocols. Some-
thing as simple as an I-9 training session
could be the deciding factor between li-
ability prevention and discrimination liti-
gation. And while employer liability will
never cease to exist, knowing how to ef-
fectively minimize and manage the risk
can help the employer avoid substantial
civil penalties and possible criminal fines,
thereby leading to the establishment of
successful verification policies aimed at
continued compliance.
Rick Gump, Jr. is the shareholder of the
Law Offices of Richard A. Gump, Jr. which
concentrates on worksite compliance and
business employment visas. Mr. Gump has
beenpracticingfor40years,andfocuseshis
practice on the human resources area of in-
ternationallaw,withanemphasisonimmi-
gration and authorized employment. rick@
rickgump.com
Lauren Allen is an attorney at the Law
Offices of Richard A. Gump, Jr. Her practice
involves assisting employers with worksite
compliance issues to minimize potential
liability associated with employment
verification.lauren@rickgump.com
Party of four
Construction News ON LOCATION
L-R: Aubrey Daniels, Gabriel Molina, Erik Anderson and Paul Quintery help
folks find paint supplies at the Kelly-Moore Paint Co. Inc. Burnet Road location. –ab
8. Page 8 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
What is your
favorite store?
ABC is a National Association with 70 Chapters
representing more than 22,000 Merit Shop
construction and construction-related firms
with nearly two million employees.
ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS
Central Texas Chapter
www.abccentraltexas.org 512-719-5263 Fax 512-712-3278
2600 Longhorn Blvd., Ste 105 Austin, TX 78758
Whatever it takes
R
onLeatherman, owner of Leather-
man Services Inc. says when he
first got started he repaired wood
and quickly expanded to repairing dam-
ages in terrazzo, granite and anodized
aluminum.
“In the beginning, I was in the world
of hurt for a way to earn a living,” Leather-
man said. “I had business cards printed
and went from one commercial building
to the next contacting property manag-
ers. Every morning it was my job to fight
my way through the asphalt jungle of
bricks and glass to find any kind of dam-
age on commercial buildings.”
Leatherman says he called on archi-
tects and also new construction sites.
“Some jobs I was asked to do were a
little beyond my skill level, and at that
time I would spend five or six hours just
to do a job that would now take me about
an hour to do,” he said.
“Lately, I have started working for
several large construction companies in
the Austin area.
“What I enjoy most about what I do
today is the opportunity to help some-
one who is in a dilemma and faced with
having to replace something very expen-
sive. If I can save a contractor time and
money, I am very happy. I love working
with all my accounts. They are all fun and
wonderful people.”
When Leatherman has free time, he
says he enjoys writing and coin collecting.
“I just finished my first book and
have put it on Amazon,” he said. “The
name of the book is The Farmers' Children.
In addition, I am presently working on
three other books, plus a book of poetry.
I collect wheat pennies, too. I got into it
when I was a kid, because they were
cheap. I still like looking through a hoard
of wheaties.”
Leatherman says if someone thinks
they want a career in construction, he
suggests they get into the field and try
different aspects of the construction in-
dustry for a while.
“My advice is to do what you enjoy
first, then make a career of it,” he said.
Looking ahead, Leatherman says he
first wanted to have technicians in the
Metroplex, Houston, Corpus Christi and
other major cities in the state, since he
gets calls from these places periodically.
“I am 71 years of age and I discussed
it with my son who said he had no inter-
est in doing that,” he said. “Since he will
own the business eventually, I chose just
to service those areas from Austin. I think
for now we will just take care of what is
on our plate.
“There is much more to life than
reaching for the moon. That just leads to
heartache and stress and neither of us
want that. A simple life with your needs
met is all any of us is interested in.”
Leatherman Services provides cosmet-
ic restoration for commercial buildings
serving contractors and building manag-
ers. –ab
Mike Simon repairs a door frame at the
University of Texas at Austin
Ameripipe dream
T
hirty-five years ago, Jerome James
realized that, of the four partners of
the supply company he co-owned,
he might be the most aggressive worker.
It was enough motivation for him to
strike out on his own and establish a sim-
ilar company, D-FW Supply (now Amer-
ipipe Supply) in Dallas in 1979. The move
was a smart one, as James was fortunate
enough to start the right business at the
right time. Installation of fire protection
and fire suppression systems in commer-
cial spaces was just becoming code, and
his company was one of the first suppli-
ers of fire protection components to the
Metroplex’s commercial contractors.
On the year of the Ameripipe’s 35th
anniversary, the time for change has
come again. James announced his retire-
ment, and his son-in-law, Blair Franklin,
will take the reins as President and CEO.
James’ son Chris, who serves as Vice-
President and Treasurer and James’
nephew, Vice-President and COO Randy
Ensch, also form Ameripipe’s leadership.
Chris and Ensch began working in the
company’s warehouse in 1994 and 1984,
respectively, and Franklin followed suit in
2001. Together, this second generation of
family has learned the business from the
ground up, and has been instrumental in
growing the company with offices in Aus-
tin, Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City,
and Tulsa, with additional locations being
planned for the near future.
James will continue to serve as chair-
man of the board, and Franklin says his
guidance is highly valued.
“The legacy that he leaves us is that
the company has been profitable every
year of its operation,” he says. “Some
people might not view that as a big deal,
but I’d say these days, it looks like a tre-
mendous accomplishment.”
AmeripipeSupply,IncistheSouthwest’s
leading independently owned supplier of
pipe, valves, fittings and fabrication services
supporting the fire protection, mechanical,
industrial, and oilfield markets.–mjm
L-R: Ameripipe Supply’s Chris James, Blair Franklin and Randy Ensch
I’d have to say Cabella’s! I love going
hunting at a South Texas ranch every year
and I stop there before I go.
Robert Machado, Ponce Rebar LLC
I like Best Buy. I can always find the elec-
tronics I want there.
Doug Munson, Eagle Rentals
Guitar Center because my son Seth and I
love playing the guitar. I have a home
studio. Right now we are into playing
blues music.
Daniel Rivas, Aptiva Interiors
I like going to local nurseries! I put up jas-
mine on an arbor I built in my backyard.
My wife and I love to garden on the week-
ends.
Fred Vierna, Longhorn Glass
I’d have to say a scuba diving store like
Dive World. I became interested in scuba
diving a long time ago.
Richard Cordes, Fast & Fair Doors
I like Cabella’s because I am an avid hunt-
er and fisherman.
Kirk Phelps, K & C Supply
I always like going to Academy.
Gabriel Moreno,
Longhorn Custom Cabinets
Cabella’s is great!
Felipe Blanco, Murco Wall Products
My favorite store is Guitar Center. I enjoy
playing music on the side.
Joseph Wiginton,
Central Texas Mechanical
Nelson
Shipley
says he has
worked in the
sheet metal
business for
42 years.
He opened
Shipley
Custom
Sheet Metal
12 years ago.
–ab
Taking care of business
Submitted to Construction News
9. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 9
BAFFIN BAY
LAGUNA MADRE
LAND CUT
SPECKLED
TROUT
REDFISH
FLOUNDER
FISHING AND
HUNTING TRIPS
STEVE SCHULTZ
OUTDOORS,LLC
(361) 949-7359
www.baffinbaycharters.com
steveschultzoutdoors@
gmail.com
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
Spring fishing
looks promising
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Premier Yamaha Boating Center,Majek
Boats,E-Z Bel Construction,Power
Pole Shallow Water Anchor,Aggregate
Haulers,Interstate Batteries,Pure Fishing,
Mirr-O-Lure and Columbia Sportswear
W
inter weather patterns seem to
be hanging on longer than we
desire despite a few spring-like
days we had in between. The last few
weeks of January and most of February
have been one of the coldest winters
we’ve had in quite some time. Water
temperatures dipped into the low 40s
several times in the month of February,
and if it wouldn’t have been for the quick
warning days behind these fronts, we
might have seen a die off of some of our
resident fish.
We will start seeing the wind
increasing this month and it plays a big
part in how productive your fishing trip
will be. We will also still be getting several
cold fronts from the north. What usually
happens before a front is that the wind
begins to pick-up from the southeast
generating a tide change. Unlike most
bay systems, which get Gulf water
pushed in from a southeast wind, the
Laguna Madre and Baffin Bay lose water
from these winds and gain water with
a north wind. Speckled trout become
very active during these transitions and
usually began to feed actively.
Water color and clarity are also very
important to the success of your fishing
trip. As any hardware purist knows, you
have to have at least 6 to 12 inches of
visibility so that the trout can see your
bait. If the depth of visibility is anything
less than that,live bait works best.
This solid 25-inch speck was caught several days after a cold front when water
temperatures were on the rise. Fish was measured,weighed and released
after the photo by Steve Schultz Outdoors.
February and March is the time of
the year most trophy trout anglers wait
for all year. It is the best time of the year
to catch that trophy trout for the wall. It
requires a little more work and a lot of
luck. It’s like hunting for that 170 class
deer down at your deer lease. You spend
a lot of time during the season looking at
average deer and out of the blue that big
one walks out and catches you totally off
guard. When fishing, we can be catching
average size trout and all of a sudden
someone set the hook on that big sow
that gets everyone’s attention.
In order to catch that fish of a
lifetime, one must go the extra mile and
give yourself the best possible chance.
This may mean wading in 40 to 50 degree
water temperature and perhaps in soft
mud or chest deep water. You just never
know what the conditions are going to
be like on any given day you decide to
fish. I’ve been out on the water before
in conditions that would test anyone’s
sanity. Wondering why I’m putting
myself through this torture when I could
be back at home with a nice hot cup of
coffee watching Good Morning America
or something. Cold, shivering, casting
and retrieving, sloughing through the
mud time after time just knowing that
any minute that rod is going to bend over.
Sometimes, this is the commitment one
must have to catch that trophy they’re
looking for.
To schedule your next bay fishing
trip give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-
949-7359 or 361-813-3716, or e-mail him
at SteveSchultzOutdoors@gmail.com.
Already booking for the 2014 fishing
season. Good luck and Good Fishing.
CENTEX IEC
Electrical Tradeshow & Wire-Off
NEW LOCATION
THIS YEAR
YMCA Twin Lakes
204 E. Little Elm
Cedar Park, Texas 78704
Friday, March 28, 2014 12PM to 6PM
WELCOME ALL
Electrical Contractors
Maintenance Contractors
Systems Contractors
Owners, Managers & Purchasers
Electrical Engineers & Specifiers
Plant and Facility Management
Electricians & Apprentices
Inspectors & Trade Instructors
GREAT DOOR PRIZES
Free Admission and Lunch
from 12:00 – 2:00 pm
10. Page 10 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait,Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Since 1981,Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in
the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings,6-8
AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin,or http://www.am1300the zone.com
Operations Manager Lisa Word, HD
Supply Waterworks, says her family
has been hunting quite a bit lately.
“My daughter, June, shot her first pig
in January,” Word said. “It was her first
shot with the rifle she got for Christmas!
She was so excited.
“My niece, AnnMarie Lacy, 4, got
her first squirrel too. She is a new hunt-
ress. AnnMarie’s brother, Hudson Lacy, 7,
shot his first Barbado Ram and a doe on a
recent hunt.” –ab
Hill Country
hunting
June shot a pig with her new rifle.
Hudson and the Barbado Ram
Hudson also shot a doe.
AnnMarie got her first squirrel.
W
elcome to part 2 of “What Kind
of Fisherman Are You?” Now
for the rest of the crew!
One of my favorite fishermen is the
Newbie Fisherman. Fishing with a New-
bie is quite an experience, both good
and bad. The good part is that he is a
blank slate with no preconceived notions
about fishing. (This is the part where you
have to control yourself and not send
him off fishing for some amazing and
completely nonexistent kind of fish with
some loud colored, funky looking bait
and making funny noises while calling in
the fish.) This fisherman may drive you
nuts asking questions all day long about
stuff that seems perfectly obvious to you.
Some of his questions can give you some
new ideas and insights into fishing
though. Just be prepared for the Newbie
to out-fish you. I don’t know if it is begin-
ners luck or just that a Newbie’s uncer-
tainty keeps him from breaking off the
fish he’s hooked up, but he’ll often out
fish you.
This next one is very rare, but you
might still find one now and then. You
are passing by a boat dock and there are
bodies lying around all over it. Look
closely and you may discover a full grown
woman stretched out on her belly on the
dock floor peering intently through the
gaps in the decking into the water below.
The other bodies turn out to be kids and
they are all doing the same thing. You
will hear them whisper and giggle and
then all of a sudden they will squeal and
jump up laughing and pounce on a little
wriggling perch. This is a Momma Fisher-
man teaching her young to love fishing in
its purest form. God bless Momma! She
still loves jerking perch as much as she
did when she was six and she feels it is
her duty to pass it on.
There are Daddy Fishermen too.
Daddy Fishermen are very clever and re-
sourceful. They know that Momma
needs a break from the little ones every
now and then. (About as often as Daddy
needs a break to go fishing!) By taking
J Bar Contractor Services out of Marble Falls
the kids fishing with him he gives her a
little alone time, he never has to face any
static about going fishing and the very
most important thing he does is raise his
kids up to be fishermen too. The only
downside is when Daddy needs to go
fishing by himself or with his buddies. He
sometimes has trouble shaking his off-
spring off of his legs on the way out the
door!
If you are out on the lake and you see
a big boat full of people and some loud
mouthed guy is hollering at everybody
like a drill sergeant, you are looking at a
Guide Fisherman. This fisherman has just
one purpose in life…to put his customers
on a boat load of fish – no matter what!
He judges the very worth of his existence
by how many fish he comes back to the
dock with. He might bluster and blow,
but if he comes in with a limited out party
he’s grinning like a dock cat when the
boats come home, because he knows
they had a good time!
After thirty-three years as a fishing
guide I have seen more kinds of fisher-
men than you can sling a rod at. We may
come in all different flavors, but we have
one thing in common. We are all just
“jerks sitting at one end of the line, wait-
ing for a jerk on the other end of the line”.
The weather’s getting nice, and the
fish are all waking up hungry as the water
warms up. Grab your favorite fishermen
and c’mon…the fish are waiting for you!
11. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 11
A little taste of Asia
Submitted to Construction News
Kent Gerstner, sales rep for Construction News, lent his truck-sized barbeque and skills as
a barbeque cook to the Asian Festival at the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio. –mp
Longhorn roundup
Submitted to Construction News
Chase Fromberg, Fromberg Construction and Randy Fromberg
Fromberg Associates Architecture, get ready to load longhorn
calves at Desfiladero Ranch in Burnet County. –ab
Fun in the sun
Submitted to Construction News
L-R: Owners Tracy Gildea and Amy Teykl, Texas Best Construction Clean,
“swim” in a grass filled pool in Austin, TX. –ab
15 to 500 Ton
Capacities
Available for your
Toughest Projects
www.alamocrane.com
San Antonio (210) 344-7370
Austin (512) 282-6866
Toll Free (800) 880-0134
Woman-Owned Business
City–94–020011/WBE
State–13580/WOB
34 Years of Service to Texas
Building tower crane in
Austin with our 400-ton
crane with super lift
from
El Paso to
Beaumont
Amarillo to
Brownsville
Have you appeared in Construction News?
Call or Email us!
There is no charge for stories or photos.
Austineditor@ConstructionNews.net
(210) 308-5800 (Home office)
12. Page 12 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
Cliff Beery, son of Robert Beery, Commercial Contracting Consultants,
went hiking at Lake Georgetown with his dog Thor and his friend’s dog Malek.
They hiked 26 miles around the lake. They actually hiked part of the night
because the full moon was so bright. –ab
Into the woods
Submitted to Construction News
ALERT!
ALERT!
ALERT!
If you are a dessert,
run like hell if Toni is around.
Vroom Vroom
Submitted to Construction News
Owner Jimmy Mungle, Mungle Bros. Concrete Floors, (center) says when
he isn’t at the office, he enjoys going to car show with his buddies. –ab
Rows of fish
Submitted to Construction News
Eastside Lumber & Decking employees caught lots of fish
on a fishing trip to Port O’Conner, TX. –ab
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13. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 13
“YOUR USED EQUIPMENT
HEADQUARTERS
FOR
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BACKHOES
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* Warranty & Financing Available
T
he Austin Chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC) headed to the AT&T
Executive Education and Conference Center Jan. 31 for its annual awards. Over
160 members and guests networked and dined before the the awards were pre-
sented to this year’s winners. In addition, the evening included the installation of the
2014 chapter officers and recognition of chapter leaders. –bd
2014 AGC Chapter officers: L-R: Vice Chairman Jack Archer, Austin Commercial;
Secretary/Treasurer Ryan Therrell, The Beck Group; Past Chairman Kenton Heinze, Braun
and Butler Construction; Chairman John Cyrier, Sabre Commercial, Inc.
Health Care ($10M - $30M)
Rogers-O’Brien Construction Company, Ltd.
Seton Medical Center - Main Campus
Additions, Renovations & Upgrades
HKS, Inc.
Historic Renovation
Braun & Butler Construction, Inc.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
Bell Tower Renovations
Heimsath Architects
Building (under $2M)
Sabre Commercial, Inc.
The Trail Foundation: Johnson Creek
Restrooms
Studio 8 Architects
Building ($2M - $5M)
Workman Commercial
Construction Services, Ltd
St. Paul The Apostle Family Life Center
Fisher Heck Architects
Interior Finish-Out ($2M - $5M)
The Beck Group
The Green Mountain Energy Finish-Out
lauckgroup
Specialty Construction
Sabre Commercial, Inc.
St. David’s Medical Center
Atrium Water Feature
Schneider Halls Design
Building ($10M - $30M)
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, LLC
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Isabelle Rutherford Meyer
Nursing Education Center
GSC Architects
Building ($5M - $10M)
Hill & Wilkinson General Contractors
Independent Bank Regional Headquarters
Jim Wilson Architects
Building ($30M - $75M)
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, LLC
Liberty Hill High School
Huckabee, Inc.
Building (Over $75M)
Austin Commercial
The Bill & Melinda Gates Computer Science
Complex and Dell Computer Science Hall
Pelli Clark Pelli and STG Design
Design Build (under $10M)
Chasco Constructors
Georgetown Fire Station #2
KAH Architecture
Health Care (under $10M)
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, LLC
Emerus 24 Hr. Emergency Hospital - Cedar Park
Page Southerland Page, LLP
No Photo:
Interior Finish-Out ($500K - $2M)
Austin Canyon Corporation
Amplify Credit Union Headquarters
Renovation
Clark Mente Architects, Inc.
Industrial Warehouse (Over $5M)
Emerson Construction Company, Inc.
Wal-Mart SuperCenter
Gonzales Texas 290-01
SGA Design Group, P.C.
Outstanding in their class
14. Page 14 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
IF IT’S ELECTRIC,
IT’S FISK.
Since 1913, Fisk has been one of
the nation’s leading providers for the
design, installation and maintenance
of electrical systems, structured
cabling applications, integrated
electronic security systems, and
building technology solutions.
> Commercial & Industrial
Electric Construction
> Technology/Structured Cabling
> Integrated Security Systems
> 24/7 Electrical & Service
Maintenance
Houston 713.868.6111
Dallas 972.466.0900
Las Vegas 702.435.5053
Miami 305.884.5311
New Orleans 504.889.0811
New York 212.823.9400
San Antonio 210.828.3325
Austin 512.491.4100
TELC 17092
Beyond the surface
S
uper-Krete International Inc.
hosted a Demo Day at the Kyle, TX
location Feb.13-14.
Ramiro Manzano, sales, says the
company provided training and
demonstrations at the event for folks in
the construction industry and the public.
“Founder John Holwitz developed
Super-Krete products in the early 1980’s,”
he said. “John was on hand to answer any
questions about new products. We had
Subway sandwiches for lunch.”
Super-Krete International provides
products for concrete repair, restoration,
waterproofing and beautification. –ab A Super-Krete International
employee provides training.
Attendees watch a concrete beautification demonstration.
F
olks in the Austin con-
struction industry laid
drainage pipe, in-
stalled landscape rocks, re-
moved rocks and cactus and
did general landscaping
work at the Dream of Hopes
Ranch in Buda, TX Jan. 8.
The Greater Austin Con-
tractors & Engineers Associ-
ation (ACEA) held the work-
day. ACEA members in-
volved include Fuquay,
Haegelin Constructoin, Joe
Bland Construction, Capi-
tal Excavation, Jimmy Ev-
ans Co. and aci Consulting.
The Dreams of Hopes
Ranch is an organization
that provides day camp services for spe-
cial needs children and adults. –ab
Spreading the hope
Volunteers at the Dream of Hopes Ranch
L-R: Martin and Mike help beautify the main grounds.
Tim shovels dirt.Lisa and Devin work the landscape.
Rocking out
Submitted to Construction News
The guys from Moore Supply had a great time after work
playing Guitar Hero at Dave & Busters in Austin, TX. –ab
15. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 15
Construction Education
The future is ours to build
Yilmaz H. Karasulu, Phd
The University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
In the last few months, most analyses and projections
show an increasing trend in construction activity. The
construction industry is expected to start more projects,
buy or lease more equipment, and hire more employees at all levels. The economic
downturn forced some of our workforce to retire or switch to other industries while a
generation of experienced constructors, the baby-boomers, is rapidly leaving the
workforce. It is increasingly difficult to find their replacement. Although the economic
cycle and the generational change are creating difficulties, finding the right employee
has always been a challenge for our industry, especially for management positions.
Construction higher education is designed to address this specific need.
The construction higher education
programs in the United States trace their
roots to the “building construction” pro-
grams in the 1940s. Most of these early
attempts were branched out of existing
engineering or architecture programs
with a heavy emphasis on the design
component. In the late 1960s and early
1970s, realizing the difficulties in address-
ing specific construction management
needs with engineers, architects, and
design-heavy or strictly vocational con-
struction programs, the construction in-
dustry and academia established a clear
definition of construction higher educa-
tion. Construction trade associations
played an important part in this discus-
sion and organizations including the As-
sociated Schools of Construction, the
American Institute of Constructors, and
the American Council for Construction
Education (ACCE) were developed as a re-
sult. Construction science or manage-
ment is still a unique and relatively young
academic discipline. There are little over
70 ACCE-accredited construction higher
education programs in the United States
while over 3000 engineering and tech-
nology programs exist.
We have a significant supply-de-
mand problem for construction manage-
ment. While the supply is limited, the de-
mand is rapidly increasing with larger
and more complex projects. In the last
two decades, the increase in demand
due to the population growth is multi-
plied with the need to build complex
projects using new materials and meth-
ods. We are simply forced to do more
with less and the word “efficiency” takes
a completely new meaning for construc-
tion projects.
Is there a quick solution to this prob-
lem? The short answer is no. However,
here are two things that will certainly
help; high-quality education and proper
use of technology. And imagine for a mo-
ment, that your next employee received
a high quality education and can handle
the newest technologies effectively. All
of us in the industry need to play a large
role to make this a reality.
The message from this discussion is
simple: You must get involved. You will
find that every construction higher edu-
cation program has an industry advisory
board or council. Your active participa-
tion and input in these organizations are
crucial to the strength and quality of the
programs. Your time, effort, and finan-
cial support has a direct impact on the
recruitment, education quality, and
learning experience of the next genera-
tion of constructors. We must recruit and
prepare the brightest minds for an indus-
try that values hard work and provides a
great career path. Construction industry
has a unique understanding on the con-
cept of “return-on-investment” and this
is one investment we must make for the
future of our industry. The future is ours
to build.
Dr. Karasulu is the Chair of the Department
of Construction Science at University of
Texas at San Antonio. He holds a Ph.D. de-
gree in Civil Engineering from Louisiana
State University. He has worked as a project
engineer for heavy/highway construction
companies and later as a consultant pro-
viding construction program and planning
services. Before joining the UTSA faculty, he
taught at Louisiana State University and
Texas A&M University in the areas of con-
struction management, scheduling, mate-
rials and methods, safety, project controls,
ethics and decision making. Dr. Karasulu
was named as the 2012 Outstanding Edu-
cator of the Year by the Education and Re-
search Foundation of the Associated Gen-
eral Contractors of America.
Established in 2008, UTSA Construc-
tion Science and Management program is
an ACCE candidate program and main-
tains a strong partnership with the con-
struction industry. UTSA Construction In-
dustry Advisory Council has 6 association
and 18 business members that take an ac-
tive role in development and improvement
of the program. –bd
NEXT MONTH
April 2014
Women in Construction
Solid foundation
equals success
Jana Hanna, President/Executive Director
Construction Education Foundation
Dallas, TX
What type of training is available at CEF? Construc-
tion Education Foundation Inc. (CEF) currently of-
fers 275 classes per year. Craft and Apprenticeship Train-
ing is offered in Carpentry, Electrical, Fire Protection,
HVAC, Pipe Fitting, Plumbing, Sheet Metal and Welding. Career Development Classes
include Field Engineering, Construction Management, Supervisory Training, Blueprint
Reading, Estimating, Auto CAD, BIM, Scheduling, Construction Math, Rigger/Signaler,
Safety, and mandated licensing and continuing education courses for plumbing, elec-
trical and EPA. All of CEF’s classes are either College Credit and/or Continuing Educa-
tion that can be transferred into college credit with a test out procedure. CEF’s current
educational partner is North Lake Community College, which is part of the Dallas
County Community College District (DCCCD). Company in-house classes are also cus-
tomized upon request.
What are some ways to attract young
people to our industry?
In October 2013, CEF completed its
third annual “Build Your Future Career
Day” in which 964 high school juniors
and seniors representing 41 area inde-
pendent school districts participated in
the daylong event. Over 100 industry vol-
unteers hosted the students for the day.
The students were able to interact with
representatives from North Texas con-
struction companies who acted as their
tour guides for the event. It was an inter-
active day for all the students attending.
Students experienced everything from
hands-on demonstrations, welding/
crane simulators, visiting a jobsite office/
trailer, BIM and AutoCAD labs, to learn-
ing about the latest in tools and materi-
als used in construction. CEF holds this
event in partnership with NCCER as part
of their national Build Your Future initia-
tive. This has proven to be a very effec-
tive method to expose these high school
juniors and seniors on career opportuni-
ties in our industry. The next event will
be held on October 29, 2014.
What areas of education need to be im-
proved to better serve the industry?
Our CEF team has observed through
the years that the students who succeed
and excel in our classes have a working
knowledge in mathematics, written/ver-
bal communication, reading and critical
thinking/problem solving. When our stu-
dents come into our programs with a
solid foundation in these areas they suc-
ceed in our classes and on the job site.
How have construction education and
training changed over the years?
In craft/apprenticeship training, a
constant through the years that remains
today is the importance of hands-on
training with tools and equipment. This is
normally delivered through a lab/shop
setting and reinforced on the jobsite
through on-the-job training. We are see-
ing delivery methods changing in the
labs with more uses of simulators for pre-
liminary training prior to students being
placed on equipment, or using complex
tools, or in welding booths for additional
hands-on training. Distance learning for
classroom delivery and online classes are
gaining in popularity and utilization
when factual content is being delivered.
The key we have found is that in craft/ap-
prenticeship the hands-on component
must still be present if distance learning
or on line classes are utilized.
The Construction Education Founda-
tion (CEF) is a college dedicated to provid-
ing students and employees in the con-
struction industry avenues of broadening
their skill levels. CEF also provides classes
that will enable them to further advance
within their current employment situation
or to further advance their construction ca-
reers. –mjm
16. Page 16 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
Construction Education
NEXT MONTH
April 2014
Women in Construction
Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue
Call for Ad Space
Reservations
San Antonio • Austin
Dallas / Fort Worth
Houston • South Texas
(210) 308-5800
Jan: Construction Forecast
Feb: Construction Safety
Mar: Construction Education
Apr: Women in Construction
May: Concrete Industry
Jun: HVAC & Plumbing
July: Electrical Industry
Aug: Service Providers
Sep: Green Building Trends
Oct: Specialty Contractors
Nov: Architecture & Engineering
Dec: Construction Equipment
2014
Schedule
Take a chance on them
Cherie Foerster, Education Director
The Builders Exchange of Texas
San Antonio, TX
As the instructor for the Pre- Employment Architec-
tural and Construction Employment (PACE) Pro-
gram, Cherie Foerster is helping to educate new blood
that the construction industry needs to infuse it with a
workforce booster. But as an educator trying to combat this issue, she emphasizes that
companies need to be willing to take a chance on young hires like those she teaches.
Despite the construction communi-
ty’s impending labor shortage, Foerster
has noticed that there is still a lack of in-
dustry recruitment from the high school
level. She knows that companies have
reasons that they hesitate to hire a young
person, because it takes more time to
train them and they may not have the
maturity or work ethic necessary for the
work environment yet.
“I don’t really think that companies
mind the inexperienced worker, because
I think in our industry and a lot of places,
people really feel like, I would rather train
someone that knows nothing than re-
train someone that has bad habits,” says
Foerster, adding that there is another
side, of course. “I don’t believe it’s un-
common for someone to look at two ap-
plications and see, well, here’s a 30-year-
old and here’s a 19-year-old – I’m going
to call the 30-year-old simply because
they’re 30 years old.
“Kids do have a tendency to have
more issues, but for every one that has is-
sues, there’s one that doesn’t, who really
is committed to being a part of this in-
dustry and to contributing to the work-
force. We have to be able to look at these
young people and not judge them be-
cause of their age, but give them oppor-
tunity and then judge them based on
their performance.
“Being older doesn’t mean maturity.
Being older doesn’t mean greater skills. It
just means more life experience, but if it
hasn’t been the right kind of life experi-
ence, then it’s no better than one with no
life experience.”
She explains that young workers
need to be given a chance to establish a
mutual respect and value between em-
ployer and employee.
“That’s a transition that we need to
be able to make, helping these young
people recognize that we do value their
opinions, we do value their intelligence
level,” she comments. “Because, let’s face
it, kids now compared to kids coming out
of high school 30 years ago – it’s a totally
different knowledge base. And so, we
need to learn to respect what these kids
do know.
“We need to learn to respect that
they’re digital, 100 percent, but they also
in turn need to respect our values in the
industry, and I think that the only way to
gain respect from these young workers is
to give respect, and to show them how
much we value them, and to let them feel
that they’re needed. With a young per-
son, when they’re treated as though
they’re expendable, they’ll feel that way.
If we show them that they’re needed and
they’re valued, they develop their own
sense of a need to try harder and to do
more. So, it’s a balance of being a leader
and a boss, but showing these young
people that we value them.
“I think what we need to do is change
the thought process in the industry to re-
alize that it’s now time that we all be-
come educators – not just the schools,
the associations, the workforce develop-
ment programs. Everyone in the industry
needs to realize that we are educators.
And we need to be a little more commit-
ted to being educators and to bringing
these young people into the industry, be-
cause they are who is going to be replac-
ing those of us that are aging and are go-
ing to be retiring out of the industry.
“We’ve got to change. The first step
is making a decision to do that. Whether
we like it or not, the youth is our future.
Twenty percent of our population is
youth, but that 20 percent is 100 percent
of our future.”
When a company decides to make
this change and become proactive about
hiring young workers, there are several
avenues for them to explore.
“The majority of the professional as-
sociations work with the school districts,”
she states. “The Builders Exchange has a
great relationship with the school dis-
tricts. Anyone can call me and say, ‘I’m
ready to train a young person,’ and I have
all the contacts.
“In the industry, if someone doesn’t
want to call me for the information, go to
the associations and if the association
isn’t active, then encourage your associa-
tions to be active in the schools. It’s all of
our responsibility to do this. So, if your as-
sociation isn’t doing it, encourage them
to do it.
“A lot of the companies here in town
– Marek Bros. for instance is a tremen-
dous workforce development program,
and they actually have developed rela-
tionships with the schools and Marek
Bros. goes to the career fairs.
“So, it really is how much time you
want to spend, but if you want to commit
to bringing young people into the work-
force, there’s people like myself, there’s
all the associations in town that already
have established and built those bridges,
and we welcome people to call us and let
us help you find the right young person
to fill your needs.” –mp
Listen, learn, excel
Chris Walters, School Director
The Training Center
of Air Conditioning & Heating
Houston, TX
Why did you decide to open The Training Center
of Air Conditioning & Heating?
My wife April and I opened The Training Center of Air
Conditioning & Heating in northwest Houston to deal with the tremendous shortage
of air conditioning technicians.
For the past two decades the biggest
struggle in running my air conditioning
company was finding properly trained
and talented employees.
Talking with other company owners
and reading all the trade publications
it has been clear this is a nationwide
problem.
A couple of years ago I decided
to do something about it. After a long
application process through the State
agencies we finally got our approval
letter for our school and program.
The Department of Labor claims the
shortage of air conditioning technicians
will cause the slowdown of the economic
recovery.
A career in air conditioning and heat-
ing is in high demand as The Bureau of
Labor Statistics states that the air condi-
tioning industry employment will grow
34 percent from 2010-2020; which
equates to 90,000 new jobs with the top
10 percent of earners making over
$66,000 annually.
ThecurriculumatTheTrainingCenterof
Air Conditioning & Heating encompasses
100 percent hands-on training.
Our program is designed to teach an
individual all the basic skills needed to
obtain a job in the air conditioning field.
We have a custom designed the
course taught in a hands on work shop
environment. The class size is kept to
a small size of 12 students to allow for
much interaction with the instructor.
The students will perform all the daily
instructions at the workbench and will be
graded on quality of work just like a city
code inspector will be doing once they
hit the field.
For their final grade, students will in-
stall an entire home air conditioning sys-
tem in an actual house built inside the
training center. This allows the students
to get the real world experience and get
the first install under their belt.
In your opinion, why is education im-
portant in the construction industry?
In my opinion, we are almost in crisis
mode for teaching our young that skilled
trades are a great opportunity and career
choice.
We are just now coming out of the
times where parents and high schools
taught that college was the route for ev-
eryone.
Over the past 20 years the skilled
trades have been neglected and the
same workforce from 20 years ago is
about to retire.
It is not uncommon for Air Condi-
tioning technicians to make 50,000 to
60,000 per year once they are fully expe-
rienced. Those who choose to open their
own companies can earn much more and
enjoy the independence.
With the economy expected to re-
bound well past the year 2020 this is a
perfect time to consider air conditioning
and the 60 plus other jobs that can be ob-
tained using the same skill set.
What are your future goals?
I plan on keeping the sights constant-
ly aimed at the reason this was all started.
That is to produce students that can get
jobs and make a good living for them-
selves.
We will also always reserve one seat
in the class each year to be given out as a
scholarship to someone. I want this schol-
arship to be used to change someone’s
life possibly someone who relies on the
various government programs out now.
I have supported my family for many
years from this trade so I know first hand
it can possibly change someone from de-
pending on aid programs to being able
to enjoy the fruits of good earnings that
come from skilled trades. –ab
17. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 17
Round-Up
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or
recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month,
for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio: saeditor@constructionnews.net
Austin: austineditor@constructionnews.net
Dallas/Ft. Worth: dfweditor@constructionnews.net
Houston: houstoneditor@constructionnews.net
South Texas: STeditor@constructionnews.net
Round-Up
Submissions
continued from Page 1 — A common link
continued from Page 1 — Painting the city
continued from Page 1 — Communication is key
Baker-Aicklen & Associates Inc. has
hired Allen Easterwood as construction
manager and Rick M. Myrick, P.E., as
manager of the engineering division.
Easterwood has previous experi-
ence working on large-scale federal proj-
ects.
Myrick has the responsibility for ex-
panding the firm’s current business into
new markets in Texas. He comes to the
firm from Civil Engineering Consultants
in San Antonio. Myrick has 35 years of
civil engineering experience with specif-
ic expertise in water resources.
Varco Pruden
Buildings has hired
Rob Schaeffer as
the new district
manager for South
Texas. Schaeffer
will be responsible
for business devel-
opment and builder
support. Prior to
joining the firm, he
was a national sales manager for Dun-
barton Corp. He holds a bachelor’s de-
gree in marketing from Southeast Mis-
souri State University.
Chris Ruesing was
recently hired as a
superintendent for
IE² Construction
Inc. He brings more
than 30 years of ex-
perience to the
company. He has
participated in proj-
ects of all sizes and
complexity level and has experience su-
pervising construction projects from
their beginning to completion. Ruesing
previously worked at Burt Watts, South
Central Commercial, and Shropshire Con-
struction.
Lane Anderson
has been promoted
to vice president of
mission critical at
Structure Tone
Southwest (STSW).
With 22 years of
construction and
design experience,
he will be responsi-
ble for mission critical projects delivered
via offices in Dallas, Houston, San Anto-
nio, and Austin. Having graduated from
Texas A&M University with his bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering, he
joined STSW in 2009 as a senior project
manager.
uncommon for me to show up early and
work alongside my team.
“We're all Austin people, so we spend
our free time on the lake, at Zilker Park,
somewhere on the green belt or down-
town. A lot of the guys live and breathe
their trades, so everyone has their home
projects building a new addition, deck,
painting their house, or whatever it is to
keep their hands busy, continue growing
steadily, trying to avoid any major fluctu-
ations or getting spread thin with con-
current projects.
“I strongly believe in the multifamily
market in central Texas. In the future, we
have to make sure we take care of those
customers who gave us a chance when
we started out, so the three R's; Reten-
tion, Referrals and Repeat business is al-
ways the top goal. I'm optimistic and ex-
cited about the impact we can have on
our growing city and those around it.”
Green Link is a full-service contractor
for installations, renovations, remodeling
and interior build-outs. –ab
The Green Link group at a job in Austin, TX.
team is much like an extended part of the
Joeris family.
“Communication is frequent and re-
spectful and expectations are set early so
that success can be achieved by the en-
tire team. This relationship extends to the
architects and engineers as well, since
they, too, have worked on many H-E-B
projects.”
Founded in 1967 by Leo Joeris, Joeris
General Contractors is a general contractor
with a focus on K-12, higher education, re-
tail, local government and medical mar-
kets. The company has offices in Austin,
San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth. –ab
Key Professional Team:
Superintendent: Mingo Martinez, Joeris
General Contractors
Architect: Selser Schafer
The McKim & Creed
Inc. Austin office
has hired Rachel
Hansen, RPLS, as a
geomatics project
manager. Hansen
has 24 years’ experi-
ence in the survey-
ing and mapping
profession. She has
worked extensively in the oil and gas in-
dustry. She graduated from Saint Ed-
ward’s University in Austin with a degree
in Business Administration and Manage-
ment.
John Tatum, P.E.,
LEED Green Associ-
ate, has joined the
Construction Eco-
Services team. Ta-
tum is a registered
Professional Engi-
neer in both Texas
and Mississippi and
brings more than 10
years of experience as a civil consultant
specializing in land development, pota-
ble water design and construction man-
agement.
“I have an 11-year-old son who enjoys wa-
terskiing too. We both love to go fishing
at Lake Austin and down at the coast.
“My goal for the future is to continue
to do high quality work and reach out
there and find a few more contractors
who need a professional painting con-
tractor.”
Alan Heine Painting provides residen-
tial and light commercial interior and exte-
rior painting as well as drywall repair and
small carpentry work. –ab
Alan Heine has operated
Alan Heine Painting since 1982.
Sixty people attended a one-hour panel discussion on the Mechanics Lien
Law and a Networking Happy Hour at Hill’s Café Feb. 12. The Associated
Builders & Contractors Central Texas Chapter (ABC) held the event. ABC Texas
State President Jon Fisher talked about what ABC is doing on a state level
before the next legislative session. -ab
Gather ‘round
Submitted to Construction News
18. Page 18 Austin Construction News • Mar 2014
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC Central Texas
Associated Builders & Contractors
Mar. 4-7: OSHA 521 OSHA Guide to In-
dustrial Hygiene
Mar. 12: OSHA 30 (Day 1 of 4)
Mar. 18: Board of Directors meeting
Mar. 19: OSHA 30 (Day 2 of 4)
Mar. 26: OSHA 30 (Day 3 of 4)
For more information call 512-719-5263
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Mar. 3: Safety Committee meeting,
11:30am
Mar. 4-7: TEEX OSH 309 – Electrical Stan-
dards
Mar. 6: OSHA 10/30 Hour Class
Mar. 7: OSHA 10/30 Hour Class
Mar. 10-12: TEEX OSH 301 – Excavation,
Trenching & Soil Mechanics
Mar. 13: Fall Protection Competent Per-
son
Mar. 14: MEDIC First Aid BasicPlus
Mar. 17: Austin-San Antonio Corridor
Economic Forum
Mar. 18-21: TEEX OSH 222 – Respiratory
Protection
Mar. 24: TEEX OSH 750 – Intro to S & H
Management
Mar. 25-26: TEEX OSH 755 – Intro to Ac-
cident Investigation
Mar. 27: TEEX OSH 720 – Bloodborne
Pathogens
For more information call 512-442-7887
NARI
Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
Mar. 6: 2014 TopGolf Benefit
Mar. 13: Board of Directors meeting
Mar. 20: General Membership meeting
Mar. 22: Habitat Build
For more info: www.austinnari.org
NAWIC
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Mar. 2-8: Women in Construction (WIC)
Week and Crockett High School “Take a
Student to Work” Day
Mar. 6: Chapter meeting
Mar. 7: Board meeting, 11:30am, AGC
Austin
Mar. 21: Networking Luncheon, 11:30am
For more info: www.austinnawic.org
TSPE
Texas Society of Professional Engineers
Mar. 20: TEF Board of Trustees meeting
Mar. 21: TSPE Board of Trustees meeting
Mar. 22: State MATHCOUNTS Competi-
tion
For more info: www.tspe-travis.org
USGBC
U.S. Green Building Council
Mar. 1: Discounted LEED Green Associ-
ate Exam Prep Course at Austin Commu-
nity College
Mar. 13: Monthly Chapter meeting in
Austin – Funding Water Conservation &
Reuse Projects
For more info: www.usgbc-centraltexas.
org
1405 E. Riverside Drive
Austin, TX 78741
800-365-6065 512-447-7773
www.timeinsurance.com
6609 Blanco Road, Suite 135
San Antonio, TX 78216
800-365-6065 210-342-9451
Specializing in Surety and Insurance programs
for all facets of the Construction Industry
John Schuler • Tom Mulanax
Steve Smith • Travis Kelley
Walter Benson • Tom Brewka
Sunny and bright
Submitted to Construction News
Owner Cheryl Webb (third from left) says she and the Ken’s Heating and Air
Conditioning staff recently attended a pet adoption day in Marble Falls, TX. –ab
Finally! Signs for Texans
Planning for growth
Submitted to Construction News
Eric Jensen (right) says Elgin Butler has a new show room and the company
recently made tile manufacturing plant acquisitions. –ab
19. Austin Construction News • Mar 2014 Page 19
I
n 1983, Robert Beery established
Robert J. Beery Co. working primarily
for interior design firms, completing
both residential and commercial small
projects.
“I changed the company name to
Commercial Contracting Consultants in
1987 and only concentrated on commer-
cial projects,” he said.
Beery says nowadays his son Cliff su-
pervises the projects onsite and has done
a great job the past two years.
“In doing so Cliff has allowed me
more free time to work in the office and
on our other family business Foodie
Kids,” Beery said. My wife Barbara and
youngest daughter Kaley primarily oper-
ate Foodie Kids and Cliff and I oversee all
the day-to-day operations of Commercial
Contracting Consultants.
“I love to see my son interact and en-
joy working with the same subcontrac-
tors and their sons that I have worked
with over the past 30 years.
All in the family
L-R: Cliff, Barbara, Bob and Kaley Beery depart the East 34th street Heliport
in New York City for a 20 minute tour of Manhattan.
Job Sights
Balfour Beatty Construction held a safety meeting at the Hilton project in Austin. –ab
Master Carpenter Phillip Morris, Morris Construction, cuts a steel pipe
and installs a fence at a ranch near Luling, TX. –ab
For current incentives, inventory
and pricing, visit us at:
www.CovertBastrop.com
“We prefer to work with our subcon-
tractors as a team and enjoy what we all
do for a living. Having some fun during
the workday produces a better work en-
vironment and it reflects with a better
end product.
“In our free time, Barbara and I love
to cook and enjoy fine wine. We are
blessed having all three of our children
and grandsons still living in Austin, so we
spend a great deal of time with them and
all their friends. We love taking trips to
New York City when we get the chance to
go.
“Our future goals are to take pride in
our work, produce a quality product, do
our best to satisfy all the client’s needs,
treat all the workers with respect, smile
and have some fun!”
Commercial Contracting Consultants
is a small Austin, TX based, client oriented
commercial general contracting company.
–ab
