Houston Construction News January 2015

The Industry’s Newspaper

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Lighting the way Ninety years and counting

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Houstonians can now enjoy a vari-ety of country French fare at la Madeleine Country French Café in

the Tanglewood Court Shopping Center. The moment you walk in the café, you can smell the aroma of fresh-baked baguettes and espresso. General contractor Warwick Con-struction completed the 3,594sf new construction project in 18 weeks. The project manager was Tim Jeans, Warwick Construction, the superinten-dent was Enos Colvin, Warwick Con-struction and the la Madeleine construc-tion manager was Matt Welch. R. Geof-frey Spaete was the architect. According to Jeans, the construction materials were interior metal stud and drywall construction with finishes that included wood walls and flooring; tile walls and flooring; wood ceilings and wood beams; ACT ceilings; rubber floor-

ing in the kitchen areas; Ansul fire sys-tems; refrigeration; grease trap; LED lighting and HVAC. Jeans says the most unique aspects of the project were the multi textured high-end finishes and detailed millwork. “The construction team on this proj-ect worked together to make sure that the finished product met the require-ments of the owner,” Jeans said. “This was difficult due to various issues that held up the completion dates, but were overcome to open on time.” Founded in 1999 by owner and pres-ident Tony Annan, Warwick Construc-tion specializes in retail construction. Warwick Construction was named after the Warwick castle in England, which never fell to a siege due to its supe-rior construction at the time.

The dining area

LEDi2, a Houston-based lighting so-lutions provider, has recently opened its new showroom at 10611

Harwin Drive, Suite 406. Jason Sheng is the president. “Our new showroom displays the LED solutions for small to large scale commercial uses to high-efficiency, high-bay fixtures for industrial uses,” Sheng said. “We are excited to operate at this central location and have the opportuni-ty to expand our network of partners.” Michael Wu is the general manager; Bob Sipple is the vice president of sales; Alex Yu, Cynthia Tang and Cindy Wang are account managers; Corey Splonick is the account manager; James Lan pro-

vides technical support and Aaron Fu is the vice president. Rebecca Bian is the director of inter-net sales; Melody Wang is the director of marketing and Jennifer Zhang is an in-ternet sales account manager. “LED lighting has gained increased visibility in the marketplace throughout the past year,” Sheng said. LEDi2 has recently completed proj-ects in Houston and the surrounding ar-eas, such as the Children’s Museum of Houston, The Taste of Texas, Miller Out-door Theatre, Mercedes-Benz of Sugar Land and Fort Bend Community Church.

The LEDi2 team is productive at the new showroom on Harwin Drive.

The year was 1924. The place was southeast Texas, where in the heart of the Texas oil boom, a man with a

vision recognized a rare opportunity to shape and grow an industry. Led by four generations of the Pearce family, Waukesha-Pearce Industries (WPI) celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2014. “There is a great new wave of oppor-tunity in the oil and gas patch,” said fourth generation family member Louis Pearce IV, WPI business development manager. “The industry is rapidly chang-ing and being right in the center of that with WPI is exciting for us.” Noting the history of WPI, Pearce says he looks ahead to his future in the

family industry with a clear vision. In 1924, Louis M. Pearce Sr. was sev-en years into his business career in the oil service industry as president of Houston-based Texas Iron Works (TIW), when he created Portable Rotary Rig Co., which built drill rigs powered by steam. In 1933, he acquired the Waukesha engine distributorship for his drill rig company. Pearce Sr. and his son, Louis M. Pearce Jr., who joined the company after service in World War II, grew the business through several name changes and com-pany directions. Louis M. Pearce III joined the company in 1962.

WPI Houston employees participated in a walk to support Making StridesAgainst Breast Cancer in 2014.

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Houston Construction News • Jan 2015 Page 3

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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.

Houston

Holiday ‘heeling’

Spreading lots of holiday cheer, the Women Contractors Association (WCA) held the Hard Hats and Heels

Holiday Casino Night at Sheraton Suites Houston Nov. 20. The evening featured a buffet din-ner, casino style gambling and a silent auction. A portion of the proceeds will benefit WCA and the Houston Food Bank. –ab

L-R: Lenora Sorola-Pohlman, Donna C. Murillo and Heather Taylor Kelly

Paul Kelly (center) plays blackjack.

L-R: Elizabeth Heble, Josena Fisher Arquieta and guest

New Year’s transitions at HOLT

The New Year brought tremen-dous change to

HOLT CAT. One of the pillars of the company, Allyn Archer, presi-dent and COO, retired Dec. 31. Dave Harris, executive vice presi-dent and general man-ager of HOLT CAT, has transitioned into his role at company head-quarters. Archer started with HOLT in April 1971 on the shop floor as a mechanic, working his way up through the company. In 1987, the same year he became general manager of B.D. Holt Company, the company merged with Holt Machin-ery in San Antonio. After 28 years as president, Archer counts several highlights in his tenure, in-cluding the creation of HOLT’s Vision Mis-sion and Values that continue to guide the organization today. Since ’87, the company has grown from one of the smallest Caterpillar dealers to the largest Caterpillar dealer in the U.S. representing 118 counties in Texas. At 68, Archer plans to get more in-volved running his family ranching and farming business in Uvalde County, fish more at the coast, and spend more time with his three grandchildren. “I’m leaving it in the worthy hands of Dave Harris, my successor,” says Archer. “We have set the foundation for much growth in the future at his direction, and

For Howard Hicks, the New Year

brings a major life change with his re-tirement from HOLT CAT as the equipment deal-er’s vice president of public affairs of-ficial as of Dec. 31, 2014. For Jim Campbell, the New Year finds him transitioning into HOLT CAT as senior director of public affairs. Having earned his master’s de-gree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University, Hicks, now 68, be-gan his 38-year career at HOLT in May 1976. In retirement, he plans to be more involved in his church’s ministry, work on more projects at his family’s ranch in the Hill Country, and spend more time with his wife of 45 years, Helen, and their three children and six grandchildren. “While I’m still in good health, I want to do some different things,” says Hicks. “It’s been a great career. I love the com-pany. I love the people, but I don’t know how many years I’ve got left, so I thought I better take advantage of whatever time that is. To me, it’s more of a career change than it is a retirement. I don’t plan to slow down much. I just plan to devote my en-ergy to other things.” In the last few months of 2014, Camp-bell made his own career change joining

I’m very proud of that.” With the company since 1997, Harris started as regional manager at Peter Holt’s former dealership, Holt Ohio. In 1998, he came to Texas as general man-ager of the Machine Division, and three years ago, he was promoted to executive vice president and general manager. “I will continue to use our values as the basis for additional and stable growth going into the future,” says Harris, noting that a big job in the next few years will be continuing the transition to the fifth gen-eration Holts, Corinna Holt Richter and Peter John Holt, taking over as dealer principals. “Allyn has been a wonderful coach and mentor to me through the years, and that will serve me well as I take on his re-sponsibilities for a few years.” –mh

Archer stepping down after 43 years Hicks turns reins over to Campbell

HOLT. His previous role was consulting for public relations and marketing firm the DeBerry Group, and he had done consulting work for HOLT under contract with Hicks. He is excited to return to a public affairs role as he once held with the City of San Antonio and CPS Energy. Also an Aggie, Campbell holds a bache-lor’s degree in political science and en-joys being “one of those rare people that’s actually doing what I was trained for in liberal arts.” Campbell is already undergoing a sort of orientation program, meeting with 60 different individuals and familiar-izing himself with them and their roles at HOLT. He says this helps him better un-derstand the company and industry as well as build a rapport with people he will need to work with to be successful. –mh

L-R: Allyn Archer, president and COO of HOLT CAT, retired at the end of 2014 and passed the job on to his successor, Dave Harris,

who has previously served as executive vice president and general manager.

L-R: Howard Hicks, HOLT veteran team member, has now retired, and Jim Campbell is transitioning into his new position at the company’s

San Antonio headquarters.

On Feb. 1, Construction News will be launching a brand new version of its website at construc-

tionnnews.net. “We are delighted to be able to up-grade our site for our readers and cus-tomers,” said Buddy Doebbler, publish-er of Construction News. “Additionally, we will bring in new readers from around the state and nation.” Construction News, with five papers in Texas’ growing areas, now enters a new age, taking advantage of technolo-gy to bring the content its readers have come to expect to the web. “The staff at Construction News has spent many months working on the new site,” Doebbler said. “What is really excit-ing about this is that now we can bring

our readers some of the late-breaking news as it happens. And while you will still look forward to receiving your Con-struction News monthly in order to get all the full news and advertising it contains, you can now expect to find photos and information quickly from the events we cover, as well as much more.” One thing the editors of the five pa-pers will accomplish is to bring news from home to those who may be far from their homes, such as military men and women. “We encourage our readers to check out our new web site. Please let us know what you think,” Doebbler said. “We will continue to work to upgrade the site to make it a better viewing experience for our readers, so your comments and sug-gestions are always welcome.” –cw

‘Web’-site construction


Survey saysSubmitted to Construction News

Surveying Equipment Specialists Inc. held an open house and catered lunchevent featuring a demonstration of a new GPS product for the construction

industry in November. –ab

New standards for revenuerecognitionLance Trammell, Principal - Assurance ServicesLane Gorman Trubitt, PLCCDallas, TX

In May 2014, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) released the new accounting standard on rev-

enue recognition with the intent to provide a compre-hensive, and consistent, method of accounting for reve-nue across entity, industry and geographical lines. While

there are some exceptions, most industries are subject to the new standard.

The reasoning behind the change is to reduce inconsistencies and the risk of recognizing revenue incorrectly, to re-duce the options of industry-specific U.S. GAAP guidelines and to create a collabo-ration between FASB and International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) for improved and converged rules. The guidance is based on the overall premise that the entity should recognize revenue in an amount that reflects the ac-tual consideration that the entity expects to be entitled to. In order to determine the amount of consideration that the entity is entitled to, the standard provides for a five step pro-cess that includes:1) Identification of the contract2) Identification of the performance ob-ligations3) Determine the transaction price4) Allocate the transaction price to per-formance obligations5) Recognize revenue upon the satis-faction of performance obligations Contracts, whether written, oral or implied based on the entity’s customary business practice, create the enforceable rights and obligations. Consistent with the current standards relating to contract accounting, some contracts can be com-bined if they are negotiated together or if successful completion is interdependent on one another. Additionally, contracts can be modified due to change in scope or pricing. The performance obligations within the contract are the determinants for rev-enue recognition. The performance obli-gation is the promise within the contract to deliver goods or services to the cus-tomer. Revenue is recognized when or as the performance obligation is satisfied. Multiple performance obligations within a contract may have specific costs or may be satisfied at different periods in time, therefore, contractors will be required to determine distinct performance obliga-tions within the contract in order to prop-erly allocate the transaction price among the obligations. Transaction price is the actual amount that is considered probable to be collected from the customer upon satis-faction of the performance obligation. Transaction price is not necessarily the

stated contract amount, but instead the contract amount net of any variable con-siderations. Revenues are recognized upon satis-fying the performance obligation. This is considered to occur either 1) over a peri-od of time or 2) at point in time. These methodologies can be considered similar to the current percentage of completion and completed contract methods of ac-counting used by contractors. Revenues recognized over a period of time must meet one of the following:1) The customer simultaneously receiv-ing and consuming the benefits of the entity’s performance as the service is per-formed2) The entity’s performance creates or enhances an asset that the customer con-trols as the asset is created or enhanced3) The performance does not result in the creation of an asset with an alterna-tive use to the entity and the entity has a right to receive payment for performance completed to date If the above criterion is met, the “pe-riod of time” is measured based upon in-put or output methods. If choosing at a point in time, the ownership of the project under contract will transfer once the performance obli-gation has been met. The new five step process may not be so “new” to contractors, as many of the considerations regarding performance obligations, transaction pricing consider-ations and timing of revenue recognition are all points that many contractors cur-rently use in their bidding, estimating and performance activities. For public companies, the new regu-lation goes into effect on Dec. 15, 2016 and on Dec. 15, 2017 for nonpublic com-panies. Founded in 1950, Lane Gorman Trubitt PLLC (LGT) is one of the largest certified public accounting firms headquartered in the South-west. Dedicated to serving the middle market, the firm represents a broad range of clients, from individuals to public companies, in a variety of industries. LGT offers traditional accounting, au-dit and tax services, as well as various other spe-cialized services. LGT has launched three affiliat-ed companies, LGT Financial Advisors, LLC, LGT Insurance Services Inc. and LGT Retirement Plan Solutions.

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

Many insurance policies today include “invisible” ex-clusions – exclusions that may not be brought to

the attention of the insurance buyer and that will not be declared on a certificate of insurance. This article will address three of the more dangerous such exclu-sions and what to do about them.

But first, a little background: Con-struction agreements include provisions requiring indemnification of the up-stream party (the party requiring the coverage). In Texas, it remains permissi-ble to require indemnification for the up-stream party’s joint, concurrent and/or sole negligence at least with regard to an injury to an employee of the downstream party (the party being required to pro-vide coverage) or their subcontractor, and for any municipal or residential work. General liability insurance customar-ily provides “contractual liability” cover-age applicable to such provisions, cover-ing liability for bodily injury and physical injury to tangible property arising from a contractual assumption of these expo-sures. Beware: This contractual liability coverage is being deleted or eroded in a variety of manners that are sometimes difficult to recognize. CG 21 39 10 93, Contractual Liability Limitation Endorsement Contractual liability coverage is pro-vided in a general liability policy through a series of six definitions of an “insured contract.” These definitions are applica-ble to an exception to an exclusion of the coverage provision. Confusing, right? What’s critical to know is that the sixth definition is the one that provides cover-age for liability assumed in an indemnifi-cation agreement. The Contractual Lia-bility Limitation Endorsement deletes that sixth definition, completely eliminat-ing insurance funding for that indemnity, and should be avoided at all cost.

CG 24 26 07 04, Amendment of Insured Contract Definition This endorsement modifies that sixth definition, eliminating claims based upon allegations of the sole negligence of the Indemnitee (the upstream party). This is problematic for two reasons:

1. As stated above, most indemnifica-tion provisions do require that the up-stream party be held harmless for at least some portion, if not all, of its sole negli-gence. The downstream party will be held responsible for such protection, whether funded by insurance or not. 2. The most common type of claim aris-ing from ongoing work is what attorney’s refer to as a “third party over action.” This

occurs when an employee of a down-stream party is injured on the job. He can make a workers’ compensation claim against his employer, but also retains the right to bring litigation for that injury. That said, he cannot sue his employer due to the exclusive remedy rule of work-ers’ compensation, so suit is brought solely against the upstream contractor or owner, who then demands protection from the downstream party under the in-demnification agreement. That type of claim is usually funded by general liabili-ty insurance, but this endorsement elimi-nates coverage for the assumption of an-other party’s sole negligence.

Modification of the Employer’s Liabil-ity Exclusion Another way that insurance compa-nies eliminate cover for suits brought by employees of a downstream party is to change the wording of the Employer’s Li-ability exclusion. This provision, part of every general liability policy, excludes coverage for injury to an employee of the insured, but has an exception stating that the exclusion does not apply to liability assumed by the insured under an “insured contract.” Some insurance companies de-lete the exception to this exclusion, there-by eliminating the very provision that would otherwise provide coverage. Discuss these exclusionary endorse-ments with your insurance broker, and verify that they are not included in your insurance program. But what if you are the upstream party depending on a cer-tificate of insurance? Two steps can be taken:

1. In your insurance requirements, state that these endorsements are pro-hibited on the downstream party’s insur-ance program; and2. Require a copy of the Schedule of Forms and Endorsements page verifying that they haven’t been included in the underlying insurance program.Charles E. Comiskey, CPCU, CIC, CPIA, CRM, PWCA, CRIS, CCM, is Sr. V.P. of Brady Chap-man Holland & Assoc. and is National Chair-man of the Construction Insurance Practice Group of RiskProNet International, the 5th largest brokerage organization in the U.S. He can be contacted at 713-979-9706 or [email protected]


A lot of live wires

The 57th annual Indepen-dent Electrical Contrac-tors (IEC) National Con-

vention & Electric Expo lit up Baltimore, MD, Oct. 22-25. The convention included the IEC Foundation (IECF) fun-draisers the Tom Jones Memo-rial Golf Tournament and a fishing tournament. The events also included a first-time attendees reception, a leadership appreciation lunch, and the popular Platinum Partner Party. At the convention, 25 winners of local and chapter wire-offs competed in the IEC National Apprentice of the Year competition. One portion of the competition is a two-hour written exam which tested ap-prentices knowledge on electrical theo-ry, code, materials, installation practices

and more. The most popular part of the competition was the Wire-Off, which took place in the middle of the Electric Expo floor. A new component this year was the productivity challenge in which the ap-prentices completed common electrical tasks while being timed. Adam Dever, IEC Texas Gulf Coast, won first place. He was worked at Facili-ties Electric for four years. “Adam displayed a high level of skill and knowledge during the competition, which is a testament to his ability and to the quality education and training of the IEC apprenticeship program,” said IEC National Executive vice president/CEO Thayer Long. “We are thrilled that Adam and his fellow graduates represent the next generation of leaders in the electri-cal workforce.” –mh/abAdam Dever wins first place.

Adam Dever gets ready for the competition.

Responding to worksiteaccidentsMarc Young, Founding PrincipalCokinos, Bosien & YoungAustin, TX

The construction industry routinely leads all other in-dustries in the total number of deaths per year, there-

fore it is imperative to understand the role of your com-pany and your legal representative in the event of a fa-tality or major incident on the construction worksite. Having a plan of action can assist your company and

your legal team in preparing for, and handling, a major incident, should it become necessary.

BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURS• Create an Emergency Response Plan (ERP)• Have your risk manager and safety committee review the ERP with your at-torney so there is no confusion during a response. • Your attorney should have in his/her vehicle a “go-bag” containing tools nec-essary to document and investigate an incident at a moments’ notice. IMMEDIATE STEPS IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR ACCIDENT• The immediate response should al-ways begin with a 911 call at the first indi-cation of a major injury or fatality. • Remove all non-essential workers from the area. Secure an area around any continuing danger or hazard to workers.• Notify key corporate personnel as soon as the area is secured and individu-als are no longer in danger.• The attorney should be called to the scene to assist with the investigation and OSHA visit.• Notify insurance carrier.• Once your attorney arrives at the site, meet in the company’s work trailer as soon as possible. Confirm that Emergency Response Plan has been followed thus far.INVESTIGATION Your attorney should begin con-ducting the investigation before the site conditions change, witnesses leave and equipment is moved. Designate a private place to talk - typically the job trailer is the best place to perform interviews. Your attorney may need someone with technical expertise from your company to participate in the interviews. Some attorneys don’t pursue record-ed statements at this stage because any party in the subsequent litigation will be entitled to that recording. Your attorney may take photographs to document the scene and everything relevant to the in-cident, but avoid any conditions such as blood or medical waste. If equipment in-volved in an accident was moved prior to emergency responders arriving, it is im-perative to establish exactly where it was at the time of the accident. OSHA OSHA must be contacted within 8 hours of a fatality, or within 24 hours of a work related in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye. OSHA has a

24-hour fatality contact number at 800-323-OSHA. However, it’s not uncommon for OSHA to hear about the incident through media accounts and drive di-rectly to the site. Before OSHA investigators arrive, your attorney may advise you of any ob-servable conditions that may result in vi-olations of various OSHA standards so they may be immediately corrected. An OSHA investigator is not limited to the site of the injury when investigating an accident, and may identify numerous cit-able conditions unrelated to the acci-dent. Consult with your attorney about drafting and implementing a written policy regarding whether to allow war-rantless OSHA investigations before it is ever needed. MEDIA• Understand what deadlines the me-dia are under and advise them that you will get back to them after you have had an opportunity to conduct a reasonable investigation. • Answer questions as directly and as completely as possible. If you don’t know the answer to a question, be honest. False information can damage credibility and the public’s perception of your abili-ty to tell the truth and convey accurate information. • Avoid using “no comment” as an an-swer. • Never give “off-the-record” informa-tion.• Give the facts as you know them and cite sources. • If the emergency or disaster is long term in nature, it is important to hold fre-quent briefings or press conferences. • Advise all employees not to speak to the press or give statements. Provide em-ployees with a designated individual or telephone number to refer inquiries. While no plan can foresee every de-tail of a catastrophic event, being pre-pared with the basic elements and secur-ing legal representation before an event can mitigate further injuries to workers and protect the legal position of the company in subsequent litigation.

Marc A. Young is a founding principal of Cokinos, Bosien &Young, a full service law firm with offices in Houston, San Anto-nio, Dallas and Austin. For more informa-tion on our services, please visitwww.cbylaw.com

Electric fete

Electrical contractors and suppliers were festive and merry at a Christ-mas party at the San Luis Resort in

Galveston Dec. 6. The National Electrical Contractors Association Southeast Texas Chapter (NECA) held the event. During the eve-ning, chapter president Wayne Brink-meyer presented NECA executive direc-tor Allen Grainey with a plaque com-memorating the chapter’s 75th anniver-sary. –ab

Wayne Brinkmeyer and Allen Grainey

L-R: Chapter president Wayne Brinkmeyer and advisory board director Tom

Thierheimer. Tom was inducted into the Academy of Electrical Contracting in 2014.

The HM General Contractors crew is busy at work at theKlein Crossing Dental project. –ab

Making progressConstruction News JOB SIGHT


Leticia EliasPrincipal

Elias CommercialRoof Systems

Leticia Elias enjoys solving custom-er’s roofing problems on a daily ba-sis. She is a roofer at heart.

“I really enjoy what I do today,” Elias said. “The competitive side of roofing is not easy but there are rewards when you show someone that you are there for their best interest. “At the end of the day it is not a diffi-cult job if you do it right and do good work. The rewards outweigh the difficult times.” Elias Commercial Roof Systems is a full service roofing firm, providing single ply, modified, roof coating, metal roofs, and zinc and wall panels. The company has expanded into interior and exterior wall panels.

Where were you born, Leticia? I was born and raised right here in Houston.

What was your childhood like? I have fond memories playing in my father’s big pile of 5/8-inch pea gravel. My brothers and I would go to the shop, while my father worked with sheet metal.

How many brothers to you have? I have two brothers and a younger sister.

What high school did you go to? I graduated from Sam Houston High School. I have always been interested in business so I took any course that would improve my skills such as typing, math and accounting. I was very active in Future Business Leaders of America and the Spanish Club, instead of playing in the band or cheer-leading.

Did you have a job when you were a teenager? After school, I typed, put together contracts and answered the phones for my father’s roofing company, Elias Roof-ing.

Both my mother and father were in roofing. Very active in the business, my mother followed my father to the job-sites. My father owned Elias Roofing from 1974 until 1988.

What did you do after high school? I went to University of Houston Cen-tral Campus and earned a degree in ac-counting with a minor in management and marketing. I was in the first class of the Center of Entrepreneurship at a University of Hous-ton program.

What was your next step? After I graduated I became very in-volved with organizations in Houston. I also implemented our company’s mar-keting plans.

Why did you choose to stay in the roof-ing industry? I love the roofing business. My father was always very passionate about roof-ing, too. Beyond normal, I think. His roofs are his children. When he talks about them his calls them “mine.” People who are not in the industry might not understand, but it is like any-thing else, when you really love what you do, you make it yours.

What are some of your proudest mo-ments as principal of your company? I get excited every time I solve one of my customer’s problems. That might seem small to most people, but it moti-vates me. When my customers say, “I can’t be-lieve my roof is not leaking anymore,” or “Do you know how long the roof had been leaking before you solved the prob-lem?,” that makes me happy.

Who have been your greatest mentors in your life? Peter Maitland showed me the value of employees. He taught me it was im-portant to be fair to the people around you. Larry Sachnowitz, another mentor of mine, called me for a bid on the roof on his house. The process of doing his roof was a template for me to understand how the client perceives the project. Diva Garza gave me the perspective of women in business.

What were the early days like at Elias Commercial Roof Systems? The early days were taken with cau-tion. I spent most of my time reinforcing my knowledge of different product lines, getting additional training, increasing my certifications for different roof and wall systems, so there would be no ques-tion on my ability when it came to the most important part of running a busi-ness, installing roofs and wall systems that didn’t leak. We just recently I got a call from a project manager from 20 years ago who wanted me to look at some work. He had just joined a new firm and stated, of all the roofs you installed all those years ago, not one has ever leaked. So I can say safely state we install roofs that don’t leak. And, I do have some awesome cli-ents, so I am happy to keep doing what I do.

How do you decompress after a long day at work? I enjoy reading motivational books. Whenever I get a chance I like to trav-el to San Antonio or Austin and walk around. I just like to get out and unwind. Over the years, I have traveled to sev-eral regions within the United States, Eu-rope and Mexico.

Do you have any other hobbies you enjoy on the side? I like the gun range and playing pool these days. My employees tell me they like to come to work to an easy going en-vironment. My motto is path of least resistance and so my guys are tired, but content, to work along my side and vice versa.

What does it take to be successful in the roofing industry? Loyal clients. The roofing part is easy. Finding and keeping the best and most committed roofers is easy. In addition you have to have the sup-port of your suppliers and manufactur-ers. I am like my father. I think if you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all. So, sometimes you have to walk away from projects in order to maintain your path of success.

Leticia Elias is passionate aboutthe roofing business.

Leticia Elias checks on a commercial roofing job in Houston.

What are a few recently completed projects in the Houston area? I have done several, but by far my most rewarding project was for Latitude Construction for Paco DelaTorre. It is a five story building that is simply gorgeous right behind Carrabas on Kirby Dr. If you ever see it from Kirby, you can see that it was designed with such cre-ativity and built solid. It had three different roof systems and one heck of a sheetmetal fabrication challenge!

Does the company have any annual events? We don’t have annual events but we do some community service events. When we get a chance we like to help in-stall roofs for families hit with fires or the elderly who just need some repairs done.

What are your future goals for the company? I am currently looking to expand my private client base. My goal is to find part-ners and build relationships so I can do what I enjoy and they recieve the benefit of my commitment to them and their properties.

What would you want people to know about your character? I can be stubborn. When someone tells me “You can’t do roofing,” I thrive on that challenge. A challenge makes me feel alive. I like to research solutions for my clients needs. If it can be done, I will find a way to do it.

L-R: Sales staff Olga Gonzalez, Shannon Ashcraft, Mary Kay Rodriguezand Trina Mallett are all smiles at Tipton Co. –ab

Tip top salesSubmitted to Construction News

To the extremeSubmitted to Construction News

Not minding a little rain, Chris Walters, owner of Extreme Air Conditioning Services Inc., gets ready to head out to an air conditioning job in Houston. –ab


BAFFIN BAYLAGUNA MADRE

LAND CUT

SPECKLED TROUT

REDFISHFLOUN DER

FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS

STEVE SCHULTZOUTDOORS, LLC

www.baffi nbaycharters.comsteveschultzoutdoors@

gmail.com

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

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

Looking into theNew Year

by Capt. Steve Schultz

Sponsored by:Premier Yamaha Boating Center,

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

Aggregate Haulers, Interstate Batter-ies, Pure Fishing, Mirr-O-Lure and

Columbia Sportswear.

Well I hope everyone had a won-derful Christmas and a great New Year holiday. I am very ex-

cited to start the year off on a good foot, or should I say a good leg after missing out on most of last years fishing. I was able to get in some trips in September and October as the fishing seemed to pick up after a mediocre summer. Hope-fully things will be much different this season with the new changes on speck-led trout regulations implemented by Texas Parks and Wildlife that took effect on September 1st last year. I am also looking forward to seeing all my clients and friends this season and continue making memories in the outdoors that seem to last a lifetime.

As most of you already know, winter fish-ing is by far the best time of the year to catch trophy size specks. Although our winters sometimes may not feel like win-ters you see up north, there is definitely an inconsistency in the weather that trig-gers fish to feed as the barometric pres-sure changes. Most of the larger specks tend to feed up before major changes in weather and may go for several days be-fore feeding again. Larger trout don’t do

real well in colder water temperatures; they tend to stay in deeper water and in soft mud bottoms trying to keep warm and conserve energy. As water tempera-tures progressively warm, they will ven-ture out in search of their next meal. Larger mullet, menhaden and other fin-fish typically are the choice of diet for hungry specks, subsequently keeping them satisfied until the next cold snap ar-rives. This is the reason so many anglers use larger baits and plugs in winter trying to imitate a wounded fish that make easy prey for lethargic trout.

I’m by no means a psychic knowing when fish will eat, what they will eat and how big they will be. There is also no way any-one can guarantee you will catch a tro-phy trout on any given day. I have many clients that have fished many days each year and have never caught a trophy quality speck. Then there are the clients that catch one on their first outing, and say, “That’s the biggest fish I’ve ever caught.” I can tell you that your chances are better if you put in some sort of an effort during the prime months.

Every month this year in my column I will feature a product that I believe will help make you a better angler. From boats, tackle apparel or electronics, I will discuss the advantages you will gain by using these products. While we are on the sub-ject of winter trophy trout fishing, let’s start with the lures of choice this time of the year.

Starting with the most popular will be the Corky line of lures by MirrOlure. There are several styles of Corky’s avail-able, Original, Fat Boy and Devil. All are slow sinking mullet imitations that boost big results when presented in front of feeding fish. These lures became popu-lar in 1996 when James Wallace of Hous-ton landed a 13-lb. 11-oz. speck on the original corky. This is one lure I will not leave without as I ease over the edge of the boat this winter!

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].

Already booking for the 2015-fishing sea-son. Good luck and Good Fishing.

Football and friendsSubmitted to Construction News

L-R: David Klotz, Dan Sullivan, Jeremy Sury, Ruben Aparicio and Wayne Klotz, Klotz Associates, attended a tailgate party for the Houston Texans vs. Cincinnati Bengals game

on Nov. 23. Great food and great times were had! –ab


Half or Full Day Fishing Trips

All Bait, Tackle & EquipmentFurnished

Your catch Filleted andBagged for You

Furnish your TPWD FishingLicense & Refreshments,

and WE DO THE REST!

Ken Milam Guide Service(325) 379-2051

www.striperfever.com

Have an outdoor photoyou’d like to share?

Send to:

[email protected] call Abby at 832-595-0091

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

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

The passing of the holidays always reminds me of a passing storm. It’s exciting and engaging while it’s go-

ing on, but always a relief when you get to the blessed calm after the storm. It is always nice to get back to normal and start looking forward to what’s next – Spring!

I know, not yet. We still have a little more football to go, some more cold fronts and time to pass. I always figure any time af-ter winter solstice is getting closer to spring bit by bit.

The tournament trails are getting started so the bass boats will start moving again. If you really get lucky and land a 13-lb. or better largemouth bass – you still have time to get in on the Toyota ShareLunker program until April 30th.

These nice warm sunny afternoons are starting to make me wonder how long it will be until the crappie start moving up into shallow water around structure to start wanting to bed. All you need is some frisky minnows or your favorite jigs to catch a nice mess of crappie. If the weather gets cloudy and cold they will go back deep and wait for the next nice spell to come shallow again. You just have to catch them when the catching is good.

Stripers and hybrids are loving the colder water. They are chasing shad in open wa-ter under the birds and feeding hard so they can be as strong and healthy as pos-sible for their spawning run, later in the spring. Except for Lake Texoma, stripers can’t successfully spawn in Texas because we don’t have the right conditions for the eggs to hatch. Don’t tell the stripers though, they don’t know the difference

and they will put all their energy into try-ing to reproduce. As they school up and chase shad they will give us some of the best freshwater fishing to be had!

If white bass are more to your liking, then get ready! As mild as the winter temper-atures have been this year I wouldn’t be surprised if they start running upstream on their spawning runs a little early this

year. This usually happens around Valen-tine’s Day, give or take a week or three depending on the weather. Keep in touch with your tackle shops and fishing reports. When the run begins the word spreads like wildfire. On low lakes and rivers the run may not happen in the usu-al places for lack of water. This is where good current information is really impor-tant.

If you love jug lining for blue catfish, get those jugs ready. From now through February is when you can catch the big ones. You want to concentrate on areas where the river and creek channels con-verge.

Spring’s acoming! Be sure you have your boat running good and always get good weather information before you set out. Weather changes fast this time of year. Fishing the day before a cold front comes through will usually be much better, and you want to avoid those old windy days as a front moves through. High pressure systems tend to keep fish from biting.

If you plan on booking some guided fish-ing trips this spring, you need to get your reservations pretty quick. It looks like we are getting ready for a nice season!

Fish On!

Every now and then when they get free time, Mid-West Electric Co. employees practice their golf swing with friends at TopGolf Houston.They enjoy catching up and playing the point-scoring golf games. –ab

Tee time

Justin Lewis Travis Vance Don Rabel

DID YOU KNOW . . . .

The Industry’s Newspaper

™CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION Largest circulationconstructionnewspaper

in Texas


Go TexansSubmitted to Construction News

Mother daughter bondingSubmitted to Construction News

L-R: Olivia Goad, 4, granddaughter of Carol and Glenn Pitman, Pitman

Construction, and her mother Jamie,

enjoy spending time at Lake Livingston in Onalaska, TX. Olivia

loves to feed the fish off the dock at the

Pitman’s lake house and then catch them.

–ab

Ho Ho HoSubmitted to Construction News

Mustang CAT created a Christmas display in December using construction equipment at the Northwest Freeway location. The display is a tradition that has

been around for more than 20 years. –ab

Down to the water’s edgeSubmitted to Construction News

James Chapman, Regency Plumbing, had a relaxing time catching fish at Lake Sam Rayburn in December. –ab

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – duck season, that is! Jon Marek, MEMCO, attended a duck hunt in Rockport where he was the only San Antonian among other duck hunting enthusiasts from Houston. L-R: Ross Berlin, Southern Shingles; Frank

Giordano, Endurance Builders; Jon Marek; Trey Everett, Precision Foundations; Travis Roby, Pioneer Natural Resources; Matthew Morgan, Occidental Petroleum –mh

Got their ducks in a rowSubmitted to Construction News

The Holden Roofing sales team attended a Houston Texans football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at NRG Stadium. –ab


Architects, designers and engineers opened up their cookbooks and drew up blueprints at the 6th annual Gingerbread Build-Off in Hermann

Square at City Hall Dec. 13.

Sweet structures

High School Challenge: 723 Mafia Gingerbread Village - Foster High School, Foster HS Gingerbread Mafia

Best Architectural Icon: City Hall - English & Associates

Best Traditionally Themed: Cinderella’s Castle Kirksey & Canopy

Best Non-Traditionally Themed: National Park Jackson & Ryan Architects

Most Creative Interpretation of Materials: Bento BoxCurry Boudreaux Architects

Public Favorite: Princess and the Pea - A&E The Graphics Complex, Ginger and the Snaps

2nd Runner Up: Project Row Houses - Rice University, Ricing on the Cake

1st Runner Up: Pirate Ship - ACI, The Arrrrrchitects

Grand Prix de Show (Best Overall Gingerbread Structure): The Grand Budapest Hotel - The Nuerons

More than 30 teams competed for the coveted Grand Prix de Show. Other event activities include a visit from Santa, caroling by the Foster Falcon Choir, local food trucks and a Kid's Construction Zone.

The American Institute of Architects Houston Chap-ter (AIA) held the event. –ab

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Construction Forecast

NEXT MONTHFEBRUARY 2015 Support Your Industry’s Feature Issue

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

(210) 308-5800Construction Safety

The Lone Star State is a leader in job creation, among other things

Anirban Basu, Chief EconomistAssociated Builders and ContractorsWashington, D.C.

We are now in the sixth year of economic recovery and the U.S. economy finally looks like it is expand-

ing with conviction. The winter of early-2014 was brutal, robbing the U.S. economy of the momentum it enjoyed during the final six months of 2013. But the nation’s economy rebounded nicely as the final snows melted, particu-larly in the form of expanding business investment. Construction projects that were delayed by the harsh winter are now underway, auto sales are surging, the nation sup-ports 2.734 million more jobs than it did a year ago, and for the first time in six years, unemployment has fallen below 6 percent.

The quality of jobs being added has improved of late as well, with more mid-dle-income jobs being produced in con-struction, manufacturing, energy, profes-sional services and IT. After shrinking dur-ing the first quarter, the U.S. economy bounced back with a robust 4.6 percent annualized performance during the sec-ond. Third quarter growth stood at 3.9 percent on an annualized basis and the year’s final quarter should be decent. The most recent International Monetary Fund upgraded its growth projection for the U.S. from 1.7 to 2.2 percent for 2014, par-ticularly impressive given the fact the economy spent the first three months of the year shrinking. What does all of this mean? Associ-ated Builders and Contractors believes that the U.S. economy is approaching the peak of its business cycle. We are now in a period in which the economy is gaining momentum while the Federal Reserve acts as if that’s not occurring, and there-fore is expected to maintain low short-term interest rates well into 2015. Keep in mind that many companies have managed to grow profits in recent years through aggressive cost-cutting measures. Even in the presence of a more active mergers and acquisitions market, that can only continue for so long. To

grow earnings, businesses will increas-ingly have to bulk up top-line revenues, which implies faster capital spending and inventory accumulation. For residents of the Lone Star State, however, the economic numbers were headed in the right direction long before the remainder of the country. Already a job creator while the rest of the U.S. was struggling to stop the economic bleed-ing, Texas was the economic outlier that quickly shrugged off the lingering ef-fects of the 2008 financial crisis. Looking ahead – 2015 will be good for Texas So as the rest of the country finally gets back onto its economic feet, what’s in store for Texas? There are reasons to believe that the Lone Star State’s economy will face some new headwinds even as the U.S. econo-my settles into a period of relative prog-ress. Consumers, who represent 70 per-cent of the nation’s economy, have be-come far more confident of late, in part because of falling oil and gas prices. Most of America benefits from cheaper fuel, but Texas is easily the nation’s largest oil producer, and the impact of falling oil and gas prices on the Texas economy re-mains unknown.

Presuming that oil production at least holds its own, Texas’ economy should be in for a terrific year in 2015. By October 2014, the state’s unemployment rate had declined to 5.1 percent, a 1.1 per-cent decline from the same period one year prior and 0.7 percent below the na-tional average. Among the state’s 25 statistical ar-eas, nine recorded unemployment rates of 4 percent or lower recently, with un-employment rates of 2.5 percent and 3 percent in Midland and Odessa, respec-tively. The state’s major metropolitan areas all posted unemployment rates below 5 percent as well (Houston, 4.7 percent; Dallas, 4.8 percent; Austin, 4 percent; and San Antonio, 4.5 percent). Over the past 12 months for which data are available, Houston has created 120,000 jobs (an increase of 4.3 percent), Dallas roughly 112,000 (3.6 percent), and Austin has added more than 29,000 (3.4 percent). Overall, the state added 436,700 jobs over a recent twelve-month period, a 3.9 percent increase from the year before and roughly double the national rate. Demand for industrial construction in Houston is surging as well. Total net absorption of industrial space totaled more than 2.6 million square feet during the third quarter of 2014 alone, with the industrial vacancy rate sliding to 5.4 per-cent. Over the first three quarters of 2014, net absorption exceeded 5.8 million square feet. The region presently has more than 6 million square feet of indus-trial space under construction. While en-ergy production still drives a significant portion of Houston’s economic expan-sion, the city also acts as a transportation hub for its region, with more steel being shipped through the Port of Houston Au-thority in July 2014 than in any other month since 2008. With oil prices falling recently, it is conceivable that some of the edge will

be taken off the Texas economy over the near-term. A few months ago, several government and private reports indicat-ed that it would take a further drop of $10 or $20 a barrel, to as low as $60 a barrel, to slow energy production even modest-ly. Oil presently sits below $60 per barrel, though that price could rise next year due to the onset of the driving season or other factors. While lower prices mean that taxes and royalties on oil production will de-cline, potentially impacting the finances of oil producing states like Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma and North Dakota, current lev-els of output are likely to be sustained in the shale fields of America in 2015. The U.S. Energy Department recently report-ed that only 4 percent of shale-derived oil production in North Dakota, Texas and other states required an oil price above $80 dollars a barrel for producers to break even on their investments. Therefore, the dip in oil prices should not affect the majority of production across the U.S., and in particular, Texas. Moreover, while low oil prices nega-tively impact some, they represent a boon for the majority. Texas’ drivers, whether commuters or truckers, stand to benefit next year as do consumers. Manufactur-ers are also a beneficiary of cheaper en-ergy, which is important because Texas is home to the second largest number of manufacturing positions in America. Correspondingly, even if oil produc-tion slows more in Texas than is expect-ed, there are other segments that are po-sitioned to more than compensate for the associated loss in construction vol-ume, including both manufacturing and commercial segments. Leading indica-tors also indicate that all of the state’s major metropolitan areas, including Aus-tin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio ap-pear positioned for meaningful growth in nonresidential construction spending next year.

2015 big year in Houston

Brad Flack, PresidentStorm-Tex ServicesSpring, TX

What is your opinion about the current state of the Houston construction industry?

I think that the current schedule of construction activi-ty in Houston is growing at what appears to be a more sustainable rate than in 2006-2008.

I also think that there are more green infrastructure and low impact develop-ments, which are better for long-term water usage, as well. We have grown by over 25 percent this year in new clients. We have been successful in getting people the help they needed in their construction, post-construction and in-dustrial storm water permit needs. We recently opened an office in Cen-tral Texas to help clients out there keep up with the changing regulations.

What do you think is on the horizon for the Houston construction industry in 2015? I think 2015 is already shaping up to be a big year for construction in Houston.

Why do you think so? I have had some GC’s telling me they were booked up through the end of the year already and having to turn away work or face expanding their current op-erations.

That tells me that the near future is bright for construction in Houston!

How do you stay up-to-date in your in-dustry? I attend several conferences around the nation to stay up-to-date on my in-dustry. I pick up a lot of information at these conferences. The other way I stay up-to-date is I read several industry publications and I read emails from the Environmental Pro-tection Agency (EPA) and the State of Texas on new changes. I have a great relationship with the city inspectors and city engineers. They keep me abreast of things coming down the pipeline. Why do you enjoy what you do today? My favorite part about my job is helping and interacting with the people. Since this type of work is a legal re-quirement with the county or state, folks are required to do this. I want to help them along the way. It

is very rewarding.

What advice would you give a young person who wants to work in the con-struction industry in 2015? If a young person wants to work in the construction industry in 2015, I’d say jump right in and start doing it. Get good job training and learn as you go!

Brad Flack has been nominated for a 2015 TCEQ Texas Environmental Excellence Award and awarded the 2015 International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Young Professional of the Year Award. He is now Region 6 chapter president for EnviroCert International and president of the South Central chapter of the IECA, Co-Chair of the Stormwater Management Track for Region 1 IECA Education Committee, TCEQ Enviromentor, TCEQ Small Business and Government Assistance Committee for Houston Region, Certified Erosion, Sediment and Storm Water Inspector (CESSWI) Instructor and Certified Professional in Erosion & Sediment Control CPESC Instructor-In-Training. –ab


Building for the future

The Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) named the 2015 board of directors and members in December. –ab

President: James "Luke" Lucas, Southwest GlassPast President: Denise Lewis, Spring Glass & Mirror

Vice President: Mario Lopez Jr., M.I. GlassTreasurer: Reschele Lawrence, Cristacurva

Secretary: Randy Zeringue, INSURICAExecutive Director: Dorothy Gurka

Board Members:Cody Snyder, Clarity Glass; John Linhart, Tristar Glass; Mario Ortiz, Door Con-

trol Services; John Alexander, WorldPay/Radiant; Matt Gilbert, Dynamic Glass;Alex Corbello, Cardinal Glass; Richard Ontiberoz, Gulf Coast Glass Tinting,

Rick Newman, HouTex Glass

Top of the glass

Dressed in holiday attire, contractors and builders enjoyed an evening of net-working, food and fun at a Christmas party at Nouveau Art Bar Dec. 11. Folks bid on many one-of-kind items during the party. The Associated Builders and

Contractors Houston Chapter (ABC) held the event. –ab

Jingle all the way

ABC members socialize under the stained glass lights.

Ronnie Wills, Aggregate Technologies Inc. (center) and guests

Ben and Donna Nichols, Ref-Chem LP

The ACE Mentor Hous-ton Build It Forward took place at the

Marek Brothers Systems Inc. office Nov. 22. The event brought to-gether students involved in the ACE Mentor Program and industry-wide profes-sionals to build storage benches that were deliv-ered to area charitable or-ganizations throughout Houston and the surround-ing areas. ACE Mentor Houston brings the construction in-dustry, educational institu-tions and local community together to ex-pose high school students to the world of

architecture, construction, engineering and the building trades. –ab

ACE Mentor Houston students build storage benches together.

Attendees stretch before getting to work.

Houston contractors played in the 1st TopGolf Tournament at the TopGolf facility in west Houston in

November. Held by the Associated General Con-tractors Houston Chapter (AGC), the event drew 25 teams and many spectators. The tournament helped to raise funds for the AGC Houston Advocacy Fund. –ab

Congrats to the winning teams!1st Place: Cokinos, Bosien & Young - Rick Flake, Rob Naudin, Dan Acevedo and Mark Brown2nd Place: Gonzales Commercial Electric Inc. - Robert Gonzales, Bobby Gonzales, Mike Martin and Ryan Martin3rd Place: Brookstone LP - Steve Dish-man, Justin Henderson, Craig Kutac and Steven Turner

Soaring to the top

An AGC Houston member tees offat TopGolf.

Jan Maly, JM Maly Inc. (right) and friends


Round-Up

continued from Page 1 — Lighting the way

continued from Page 1 — Ninety years and counting

continued from Page 1 — Gather ‘round the table

Randy Wallen has joined the Hunton Group as senior vice presi-dent and general manager of Hunton Services. Wallen was for-merly vice president and general man-ager of national services for Johnson Controls.

LJA Engineering Inc. has promoted Steven Perez, PE, to project manager in the firm’s Hous-ton land develop-ment division. Perez has more than eight years of experience in the civil engineering field in both land development and transportation proj-ects. He is a graduate of Texas A&M Uni-versity with a B.S. degree in Civil Engi-neering.

Chamberlin Roofing and Waterproof-ing announced the following:Bill Lawson has been promoted to vice president of roofing operations for all Chamberlin markets. Having joined the company 17 years ago as a roofing mechanic, he has natural leadership skills and ex-tensive knowledge of commercial roof-ing installations.T.R. Mayfield has been promoted to vice president of roof estimating ser-vices for all Cham-berlin markets. With the company for 14 years now, he was previously a roofing estimating manager and has roofing sys-tem expertise and commitment to pro-viding clear and detailed cost estimates.Lyle Coston has been promoted to vice president and general manager of Houston’s water-proofing and caulk-ing department af-ter 14 years with Chamberlin. His in-terpersonal skills, hands-on experience and knowledge of the trade have prepared him to be a lead-er for the Chamberlin waterproofing team.

Submitted to Construction News

Seasons greetings

The Gulf Coast Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors (PHCC) held an annual Toys for Tots Toy Drive at Saltgrass Steakhouse Dec. 10. U.S. Marines were on hand to collect toys. Pictured: U.S. Marines and Nancy Jones, executive director PHCC-TX and Milton Frank,

president PHCC-TX/Milton Frank Plumbing

Warwick Construction was ranked the nation’s 24th Fastest Growing Com-pany in 2004 by Entrepreneur Magazine, and in 2008 was recognized as the na-tion’s 10th largest retail contractor by Re-tail Construction Magazine. In 2003, Warwick Construction built and moved into their corporate head-quarters located in southeast Houston. The company has procured licenses in all 50 states and has expanded its port-folio to include not only retail, but also light industrial, medical, hospitality, gov-ernment and municipal projects. –ab

The fireplace

Sheng says lighting can positively af-fect work and learning environments and is used to enhance the mood of a room. “Warm red and yellow tones often set a relaxing mood in living rooms and restaurants, whereas cooler blue and white can increase productivity in the

workplace and prevent eyestrain,” he said. “We look forward to bringing the fu-ture of lighting to Houston and beyond.” LEDi2 is a manufacturer and designer providing customized LED lighting solu-tions. –ab

WPI was formed in 1967 with the merger of its two operating divisions, Waukesha Sales and Service and Pearce Equipment Co. In 2014, the WPI Houston office co-hosted a special Bingo event for more than 60 veterans. Employees volunteered their time to serve snow cones and snacks during the event Employees also participated in a

walk to support Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. “We’re a family, and in turn, we see our customers as family,” Pearce IV said. “I can’t wait to see what the next 90 years brings.” WPI focuses on construction machin-ery and engine solutions across multiple applications and industries. –ab

SubmissionsThis is a section for brief company an-nouncements of new or recently pro-

moted personnel, free of chargeas space allows.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Email (w/digital photo, if available)

by the 15th of any month, for thenext month’s issue

Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––San [email protected]@constructionnews.netDallas/Ft. [email protected]@constructionnews.netSouth [email protected]

Ride onSubmitted to Construction News

The Associated Builders and Contractors Houston Chapter (ABC) Young Professional's Committee and other volunteers helped Elves and More build almost 300 bikes in

December. –ab

The Bury office hosted a VIP event in connection with the 75th annual Texas So-ciety of Architects Convention and Design Expo in November. Guests joined Bury employees for a green and sustainable inspired evening

on the top floor of The Grove Houston. Bury is a design and engineering consulting firm for the built environment. –ab

Meet and greet

L-R: Chris Tidwell, Page; Pat Grant, Bury; Chris Vadala, Bury and Shae Jobe Hanover

Boon Newsom and Zach Hunter, Bury


Association CalendarContent submitted by Associations to Construction News

ABCAssociated Builders & Contractors

Jan. 7: Collecting on Construction Work Lien and Bond Clains, 6pmJan. 8: Commercial Blueprint Boot Camp, 8amJan. 9: Leadership Forum, 8amJan. 14: Leadership Forum, 6pmJan. 16: Commercial Blueprint Boot Camp, 3pmJan. 21: Competent Person Excavations, 6pmJan. 22: Commercial Blueprint Boot Camp, 6pmJan. 23: Inaugural CelebrationJan. 28: Leadership Forum, 6pmJan. 30: Commercial Blueprint Boot Camp, 6:30pmFor more information call 713-523-6222

AGCAssociated General Contractors

Jan. 12-14: OSHA 502: Update for Gener-al Industry Outreach TrainersJan. 13-16: OSHA 2045: Machinery & Ma-chine GuardingJan. 14-16: OSHA 503: Update for Gen-eral Industry Outreach TrainersJan. 16. Certificate of Management-BIM Credentialing ExamJan. 20-22: OSHA 3015: Excavation, Trenching and Soil MechanicsJan. 21: OSHA 30-Hour Course and First Aid/CPR/AED TrainingJan. 22: 2014 Annual Chapter meetingJan. 27: BIM Unit 1: Introduction to Build-ing Information Modeling 2nd EditionFor more information call 713-843-3700

AIAAmerican Institute of Architects

Jan. 3: Rice University Walking TourJan. 10: Urban Art Tour Downtown Part 1Jan. 15: Small Firm RoundtableJan. 17: Texas Medical Center Walking TourJan. 22: Full Day CEJan. 24: Rock Building Stones: Down-town Geology & MaterialsJan. 29: ArchzinesJan. 31: Houston Heights Bicycle TourFor more information call 713-520-0155

ASAAmerican Subcontractors Association

Jan. 7: Membership Committee meet-ing, 9amJan. 7: Safety Professionals Peer GroupOSHA Safety Regulations - Trends On At Jobsites and Changes for 2015Jan. 9: Credit Card Acceptance PoliciesJan. 13: Legislative Advocacy WorkshopPresented by Joe GagenJan. 14: EIC Awards Committee meetingJan. 15: BPI SessionJan. 15: General Lunch meeting Con-struction Industry & Economic OutlookJan. 20: Safety Committee meetingJan. 22: 2015 Legislative Issues BriefingConference CallJan. 27-28: ASAT/TCA Walk on the Capi-tol in AustinJan. 30: Excellence in Construction Awards, Houston Junior LeagueFor more information call 281- 679-1877

CSIConstruction Specifications Institute

Jan. 26: Chapter meeting, 5:30pm, Eco-nomic Outlook for Construction, Guest speaker Pat Kiley, Kiley Advisors, Mem-bers and first time member guests are free, non-members $35, includes dinner.For more information go to http://www.csihouston.org

FPAFoundation Performance Assoc.

Jan. 14: Presentation, 5pm, Topic: Perim-eter Vertical Moisture Barriers for Resi-dential Foundations, Speaker: Mr. Ken Douglass, P.E. Eric L. Davis Engineering Inc.For more information visit www.founda-tionperformance.org

IECIndependent Electrical Contractors

Jan. 7: State Residential Appliance In-staller & State Maintenance Exam (201), 6pm, Wednesdays, Contractor Members $240/Non-Members $290Jan. 8: State Journeyman Exam Prep Class (301), 6pm, Thursdays, Contractor Member $240/Non-Member $290Jan. 8: Motor Controls Level I Class (100), 6pm, Thursdays, Contractor Members $400/Non-Members $475Jan. 10: State Masters Exam Prep Class (401), 8am, Saturdays, Contractor Mem-bers $325/Non-Members $390Jan. 21: Monthly meetingFor more information call 713-869-1976

NAWICNational Assn of Women in Construction

Jan. 13: General Dinner Meeting: Con-tracts Review and Compliance, 5:30-6pm Networking, 6pm-8pm Dinner and Busi-ness meeting, 024 Grille (Inside The Wes-tin Memorial City, 945 Gessner Rd., Cost: $35 Dinner & Program with reservation, $40 Dinner & Program without reserva-tion, $8 Program only, Membership is not a requirement for attendance – guests are always welcomeFor more information visit www.nawic-houston.org

MCAMechanical Contractors Association

Jan. 24: Plumbing License RenewalJan. 31: ACR Contractor License RenewalFor more information call 281-440-4380

PHCC Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors

Jan. 23: Casino NightFor more information go to www.gulf-coastphcc.org

Always learning

Did you keep last years new year’s

resolution?

Yes, I sure did. I really wanted to focus on our web development for the company and we made progress! Eric Bruce, Michael Neil Cabinetry

I wanted to go fishing more often after work in 2014. I did catch lots of fish in Trin-ity Bay. Jimmy Norman, Hart Plumbing

Yes, I went running more often and did fun runs in 2014. Peti Jones Thompson, Mazzetti

I wanted to spend more time with my dad this year. We went on a few hunting trips in 2014 and enjoyed our time to-gether.

Justin BlackmonBluestone Contracting

Yes, I went to Lakewood Church as many Sundays as possible in 2014. Toby Woodward, Aladdin Floors

I wanted to make more time for my woodworking hobby in 2014. I made lots of vases and bowls in my shop at home. Michael Stall, Managed Response Inc.

Yes, I traveled more this year! I had a great time exploring the Texas Hill Country a few weekends. Sean Sirafi, Southwest A/C Supply

It is a work in progress! Robert Garrett, R.M.G. Electrical Inc. My New Years resolution was to spend more time with my wife and kids since I get so busy at work. I made this happen in 2014! Roger Gomez, U.S. Fence

Associated General Contractors Houston Chapter (AGC) Construction LeadershipCouncil (CLC) members headed to Warehouse Bar & Chill to celebrate their

year’s accomplishments Dec. 4. –ab


Raising a glass

Ladies in the Houston construction

industry bundled up for a holiday

social and networking holiday sea-

son event at Discovery Green Dec. 9.

The evening began with a tour of the

mechanical room of the ice rink. Attend-

ees learned how the lake is turned to ice

each holiday season.

From there they headed to The Lake

House restaurant veranda for drinks,

food and networking. The National Asso-

ciation of Women in Construction

(NAWIC) held the event. –ab

NAWIC members and guests explore the mechanical room of the ice rick at Discovery Green.

Folks enjoy a meal at The Lake House.


Rather than host a big blow out for the firm’s 30th anniversary, the members of Jaster-Quintanilla (JQ) decided to go within, both to evaluate where

they came from and plan for future growth. Founded in Austin in 1984 by David Quintanilla, PE and Gary W. Jaster, PE, the firm originally offered struc-tural engineering services, then expanded to provide civil engineering, geospatial and facility performance services within a diverse group of markets. JQ expanded into Dallas in 1994, Fort Worth in 2006, Houston in 2013 and Lubbock this year. “When David and I started the firm in 1984, we obvi-ously had plans to grow, do high quality work and have a positive impact on the community,” Jaster says. “How-ever, what the firm has accomplished over the last 30 years and what I envision the firm attaining in the com-ing years far exceeded our vision. It is a testament to what an outstanding group of professionals can do and also a reflection of our clients who have entrusted us to

Looking within,looking ahead

be part of their vision for their own firms and institu-tions.” JQ has worked on many notable projects, including Austin’s Barbara Jordan Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Texas A&M’s Memorial Stu-dent Center expansion. For the near term, the company plans to focus on every office’s growth and evaluate opportunities for geographic expansion. JQ is also nurturing the next generation of leaders, including managing principal Stephen H. Lucy, PE, Thomas Scott, PE, Christopher N. Story, PE, John Hoenig, PE, Carlo Taddei, PE, Murali Kariyarveedu, PE, Jason Hart, PE, Scott Francis, PE, Jaimie Buchanan, PE and Natalie Harvill, PE. “When asked about the most meaningful events in my career, choosing to join JQ over 20 years ago ranks at the top of the list,” Lucy says. “I have been fortunate to have been able to actively participate in the growth and expansion of the firm, but even more important is that I have been able to see the next leaders of the firm de-velop and contribute to the firm’s success. I look forward to the future as I know we are headed in the right direc-tion with the right personnel to make it happen.” –mjm

ASCO Equipment, a Texas-based construction equipment distribu-tor, presented a check to A Sol-

dier’s Child Foundation (ASC) in the amount of $262,707 to benefit ASC’s on-going efforts to provide birthday and Christmas gifts for children of fallen sol-diers. The check resulted from a yearlong effort by local employees at ASCO’s 22 locations to benefit ASC in 2014. ASCO has a corporate and personal commit-ment to community and philanthropy, selecting deserving organizations each year to benefit from the efforts of their employees and staff. Employees at each ASCO location

Employees and their children in Belton run an obstacle course as part of that team’s fundraising efforts for A Soldier’s Child Foundation.

Honoring the fallen

determined the individual fundraising ef-forts. ASCO and the founding Wright family matched all money raised to reach the total amount. “Giving back to our communities has always been an important value of ASCO and our family,” said John Wright, one of the third generation owners. “It’s gratify-ing to see our employees nominate and support this effort on behalf of A Sol-dier’s Child Foundation. It’s an honor to support the families of those who died in service to their company.” The $262,707 check was presented to A Soldier’s Child Foundation and will be distributed throughout the year. –cwL-R: Silvino Bolanos, Elena Garcia, President Greg von Baden, Ellis Lockett and

Shawn Schwiesow, Grogan Building Supply, visited the Houston Weyerhauser facility in early December. Weyerhauser is a forest product company. –ab


Taking a tour

The folks at Capital Care Plumbing decorated the Katy office with a Christmas

tree and stockings in December. –ab


Christmas cheer

JQ Houston staffL-R: Akshai Ramakrishnan and Matt Connor


Customers, vendors and employees put their game face on at the Wild-cat Electric Supply poker tourna-

ment at Saint Arnold Brewing Co. in No-vember. Highlights from the event included beer tasting and a chance to play Texas Hold’em, craps, blackjack and darts. Folks also participated in a Big Buck Safari tour-nament and played the Money Machine. Wildcat Electric Supply is an electrical supplier. –ab

Photos by: Bruce Folts

Casino royale

Kristen Sherman, Wildcat Electric Supplyand Greg Ealand, Ideal

Aurelio Bueno and Chris Blanchard,Wildcat Electric Supply

Johnny and Jennifer Clawson,Wildcat Electric Supply

Attendees concentrate at the blackjack table.L-R: Bobby Allard, Jordan Brown, Krystal Hinojosa and Kelly Yanta, McCarthy Building Companies Houston division, participated in a toy drive holiday happy hour in December. Nearly all of the Houston commercial division attended the event and helped donate 67

toys to Operation Stocking Stuffer. –ab

Santa’s helpersSubmitted to Construction News

The news has a nose for BBQConstruction News ON LOCATION

The Construction News team at Construction News headquarters in San Antonio hosted a Christmas barbeque Dec. 19. L-R: Buddy Doebbler, publisher; Jim Reilly, sales; Cyndi

Wright, managing editor; Sue Johnson, production manager; Mary Hazlett, San Antonio editor; Kent Gerstner, sales – and barbeque cook! –mh


Tis’ the season

The McCoy’s Building Supply Galveston store held a toy drive for Toys for Tots in December. The company is a fourth-generation, family-owned supplier of lumber,

building supplies and farm and ranch equipment. –ab

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Houston Construction News January 2015