Bright new star in McAllen To Belize for papayas! A window to success

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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 3
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Number 4
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APRIL 2016
To Belize for papayas!
A window to success
Danny and Nancy Boultinghouse, along with daughter Wanza and granddaughter Sierra,
are shown in front of their new papaya plantation in Belize.
L-R: Roy, Richard Jr, Ernestine and Richard Valadez Sr. are ready to welcome customers
to Academy Window Coverings.
M
ost people who know Danny
Boultinghouse,
Boultinghouse, Simpson, Gates Architects in McAllen, know that he loves going to Belize. In fact, he’s been known to
say, “If I go missing, look for me there – or
rather, don’t look for me!”
What a lot of people don’t know
about Danny, and his wife, Nancy, is their
secret addiction – to papayas!
“It’s not something we brag about,”
Danny says. “You never really want to admit that you have a secret addiction.”
Danny and Nancy say they come by
the problem honestly. Both sets of parents were and are also papaya addicts, as
were plenty of other ancestors.
“Nancy actually has a secret recipe
book that her grandmother put together
– it’s absolutely filled with thousands of
ways the families, through the years,
have incorporated papaya into everything they cooked – often without their
dinner guests even knowing!” Danny
boasts.
So, when the pair found out that Belize is actually known for its papaya plantations, the die was cast.
“We’ve decided to chuck it all and
move to Belize, where we will start a papaya plantation,” Danny said. “Of course,
we are going to miss our lives and friends
here in the Valley, but we are hoping that
people will find the time to travel to Belize and visit us – and that while they are
there, we can turn them into papaya addicts, too!”
continued on Page 10
W
hen Richard and Ernestine Valadez returned to San Antonio
in 1958 from Europe after Richard’s time in the U.S. Air Force, the young
couple used some savings to buy a small
grocery store on Presa Street.
“We always had a dream to open our
own business,” Ernestine says.
But the profit margin on a grocery
store wasn’t living up to the growing
family’s needs, so they passed it onto
Richard’s father and Richard went to work
for a blind company. In 1959, the company transferred him to Corpus Christi to
run the branch there. When the company
no longer wanted that branch, Richard
and Ernestine bought it and Academy
Window Coverings was born.
“We made it a successful company,”
Ernestine says. “It was hard work. Sometimes we would work until midnight trying to complete orders when it was just
him and I.”
Ernestine even wrote a book, “Success and Survival in a Family Business”
about their hard-won triumphs.
The couple has six children (five sons
and one daughter), all of whom worked
in the family business while attending
high school. Three of their sons work
there today. There are also 16 grandchildren.
“They learned their work ethic while
working here in the summers,” Ernestine
says. “I call it a blessing.”
All of the children are successful
continued on Page 10
Bright new star in McAllen
W
ith a year-round temperature
that includes an average high of
81° and a low of 59°, the growing city of McAllen is becoming a destination spot for vacationers from all over.
Located near the popular beaches of the
Gulf of Mexico and boasting an array of
shopping, dining and local attractions,
the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing
metropolitan areas in the United States.
In 2015, Phoenix Hospitality Group provided the area a world-class hotel by converting the 35-year-old Embassy Suites
by Hilton into a Double Tree by Hilton.
The $10 million-plus project was
spearheaded by Alamo System Industries LLC (ASI), the general contractor on
the project. Project manager was Brandon Wallace, an owner of ASI and Mark
Romel was superintendent. The architect was SA Partnership.
“A year of planning went into the
project prior to starting construction,”
McAllen has a brand new destination hotel in the recently renovated Double Tree by Hilton.
Wallace says. “The renovation took six
months and was completed in July 2015.
The hotel is 272 rooms and nine stories over 250,000 sf. The property was
converted to a Double Tree and updated
to Double Tree standards. All guestrooms, corridors, indoor pool, meeting
space, ballrooms, public bathrooms, atrium, lobby, restaurant, bar and Porto
Corche were renovated.
Materials used included sheetrock,
paint, metal studs, carpet, tile, concrete,
and lots of demolition.
“With any large renovation of such
an old property there were unforeseen
conditions behind walls and finishes,”
Wallace says. “The vision from the developer and architect did not always work
and minor adjustments were necessary
to maintain structural integrity or MEP
systems of the property. The structure itself is pre-cast concrete and elevated
post tension - cutting holes into concrete
continued on Page 10
Page 2
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Not so ‘mini’ anymore
M
In its new location, Mobile Mini branch manager Mark Molina, center,
says customers and employees will benefit.
obile Mini has been in Harlingen
for 15 years – and recently they
moved to a new location in Edinburg, where they opened on Mar. 1.
Branch manager Mark Molina, who
also manages the location in Laredo, says
the old spot wasn’t conducive for customers or employees.
“Now, we are a lot closer to our target market,” Molina says. “We can take
care of them faster and offer better service. It’s also a better environment for our
employees.”
The company went from a mobile office to a two-story, brick and mortar facility with an attached warehouse for fabrication and repairs.
“It’s an overall improvement,” Molina
says.
There are 12 employees at the Edinburg location, including Eddie Cantu,
who Molina says is his right hand man
and the office manager; and Jessica Seguro and Rocky Ybarra, inside and out-
side sales reps.
The company provides secure portable storage and specialty containment
and office solutions for retail, law enforcement, school districts and governmental agencies.
In the construction business, the
company offers secure storage for tools
and materials to prevent theft on job sites,
as well as office space for the job offices.
According to Molina, Mobile Mini is
the largest container company of its type
in the world, with locations in the U.S.
and the U.K.
“We strive to be a leader in the business to customers everywhere,” he says.
“We empower our teams to deliver exceptional service you can depend on.”
Molina says the company is going
through an expansion phase and credits
customers and employees.
“The customers in our area have allowed us to grow and our employees play
a huge role in our growth,” he says. –cw
In memoriam
T
homas Irving Wolfe, 68, died Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 at his residence in Harlingen, TX. He was born Nov. 21, 1947 in Holton,
Kan. He served in the United States Army from 1967-1979, where
he served one year in Vietnam. Wolfe is a retired educator from Raymondville I.S.D. After retiring from teaching, he worked as a project superintendent and
safety coordinator for Wil-Con LLC Construction until his second
retirement in 2015. Most of his projects were building schools
throughout the Rio Grande Valley. He also served on the school
board at South Texas I.S.D. for 25 years.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Alexander and Muriel Wolfe, and his
brother, James Wolfe. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Anita Gomez Wolfe,
daughter Donielle (Justin) Roberts, son Terry (Cynthia) Wolfe, and granddaughters Riley Regan and Hattie Harper Wolfe, brother Larry Wolfe, and sisters Francis Wardin,
Lora Sue Felps, and Joanna Wills.
Funeral services were Mar. 2 with interment following at Raymondville Memorial
Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist
Church, P.O. Box 825, Raymondville, TX 78580.
Stewards of a legacy
Brother and sister team Peter John Holt and Corinna Holt Richter have stepped into new
executive leadership roles at HOLT CAT, taking up the next phase of the succession plan in
their family’s company.
R
epresenting the fifth generation of
the HOLT CAT family tree, Corinna
Holt Richter and Peter John Holt
have taken the next step in the succession plan towards their ownership of the
heavy equipment dealer.
In her new role as executive vice
president/chief administrative officer,
Holt Richter will be responsible for the
administrative divisions, including HR,
safety, IT, organizational development,
facilities management, continuous improvement, environmental, legal, marketing and strategy, and transportation.
In his new role as executive vice president/general manager, Holt will be responsible for all enterprise operating divisions, including HOLT CAT, HOLT AgriBusiness, Texas First Rentals, HOLT Crane
& Equipment and Sitech Tejas.
Both of them joined the HOLT CAT
team in 2011 and note that in those five
years, they have learned a lot from their
experience and ascension through the
ranks. They also emphasize the significance of starting on the product support
side of the business, which Holt Richter
says, “is really what we see as the heart of
what a dealer does.”
Holt, who bears the name of their father, Peter M. Holt, owner and CEO of
HOLT CAT, says, “This is truly a formal step
for my sister and I to move into being
owners of the business and head operators of the business in our partnership.
So, this is a really important time in
HOLT’s past, present and future in the
fact that we’re moving into roles that we
will stay in for our entire careers. So, it’s
vitally important for us to build and grow
our teams, and then use a balanced approach to continue on our operations excellence journey, but also to find areas for
growth and diversification.”
Holt Richter adds, “It’s really humbling to be a part of this legacy that my
family’s built. We’ve outlined what our
sibling partnership mission statement is,
and it’s essentially to be a steward of that
legacy and to grow the business. We’re
really excited about the future.” –mh
In memoriam
K
enneth Wayne Painter, 80, died March 17 in Seguin. He was
born June 27, 1935, in Kiowa, OK, to George and Izona Painter.
He moved to Corpus Christi in 1948, and considered Corpus Christi
his home town, though he lived across Texas and Oklahoma with
his work for AGC. He was the Associated General Contractor (AGC)
Austin Chapter’s executive director from 1993-2000.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanette and children, Karen Painter
Greathouse (Cody), Wayne Painter, Kirk (Heidi) Painter, Traci Garlington and Scott Garlington; grandchildren, Kelby Greathouse (Lindsey) and Lori Greathouse King (Darrell), Serena, Sarah, Shayla, Kelan and Mckennon Painter, Kelsey, Zachary and Harrison
Painter; and six great-grandchildren with many nieces and nephews that he loved
deeply as well.
A memorial service was held Mar. 24 in the Chapel at First United Methodist
Church in Corpus Christi. –cw
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Page 3
Sunny day on the fairway
What you need to
know about compilations, reviews
and audits to obtain a loan or line
of credit
PKF Texas
Houston, TX
Chris Hatten, CPA,
M
First place team: MW Rentals, L-R: Charles Aiken, Mike Bartels, Russ Janssen and Steve Zeplin
T
he sun came out after rainy, cold
weather just in time for the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Texas Mid-Coast Chapter’s 30th annual
golf tournament on Mar. 11 at the Victoria Country Club.
With flights at 8am and 1pm, the 40
teams were well feted during the event
with food served from many stations all
over the course. Golfers enjoyed chicken
wings, oyster shooters, stuffed jalapenos,
gumbo, boudin, chili-cheese nachos,
sliders, hot dogs, ribs, sausage wraps and
spiked fruit cups.
The first place team came from MW
Rentals and consisted of Charles Aiken,
Mike Bartels, Russ Janssen and Steve Zeplin.
Congrats! –cw
Submitted to Construction News
Fishing for funds
SpawGlass South Texas Division donated $10,000 to Texas State Technical College
(TSTC) in Harlingen. Proceeds were raised during the firm’s annual fishing tournament
in September 2015 on South Padre Island. –cw
South Texas
CONSTRUCTION NEWS
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any business owners looking for
their first loan or line of credit face
the daunting task of picking the right
financial institution and subsequent
credit agreement that best fits their
current and future needs. Unfortunately,
this can be a challenge for many owners
who do not have experience in finance or
accounting.
Signing a loan that is not properly
negotiated can cost tens of thousands of
dollars per year, while choosing the
incorrect loan can be an expensive
mistake that cuts into your bottom line
for years.
Most loans or lines of credit come
with different covenants, and many
require the borrower to provide yearly
financial statements. These range from
internally prepared financial statements
to compilations, reviews or audits. Many
first-time borrowers don’t understand
the differences or the costs of producing
these reports.
Financial statements prepared by a
CPA firm assist with the assurance banks
look for when they issue a loan. Typically,
the larger the loan, the more assurance
the bank will require. Some loans only
require a compilation, which technically
provides no assurance, while loans which
appear riskier to the bank may require a
financial statement audit.
Compilation
A compilation is a financial report
put together by a CPA firm that follows
AICPA guidelines to assure the financial
statements are presented in accordance
with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP) or other standards
recognized by the AICPA. This is a
relatively inexpensive report, compared
a review or audit, but it also provides no
assurance.
Review
A review is the next step up and
provides limited assurance. This report
must be done by a qualified CPA firm, but
unlike a compilation, the firm must be
independent; meaning, the firm has no
financial interests in the business,
relations with owners or elected
members of management, or with the
area of the business it reviews. A review is
typically two or three times more
expensive than a compilation, with an
increase in the level of work for the review
process, and the increased risk the
accounting firm assesses in preparing the
reports. Reviews are like compilations, in
that they are the representation of
Sam Razmandi, CPA
management and not the CPA firm, and
follows standards set by the AICPA.
Audit
This is typically a much more
involved process and provides reasonable
assurance the financials are presented
fairly, in all material respects, and are in
accordance with the stated financial
framework, such as U.S. GAAP or
International
Financial
Reporting
Standards (IFRS). Audit procedures
include an examination, substantive
analytics, confirmations, and for some
companies, the testing of internal
controls. Audits can be two or three times
the cost of a review and can even get into
the six figures, depending on the
company, its size and the complexity of
the transaction involved.
There can be a major price difference
between the procedures banks may
require, so it is important to note, like
other aspects of your loan, these
requirements can be negotiated. As with
interest rates, collateral and other
important factors of a loan, the financial
reporting requirements are just as
substantial. At times, a bank may be
asking for an audit when a review might
suffice and be a better fit for your
business needs.
Yet, after obtaining a loan or line of
credit, it can be a painful lesson to learn
of the costs associated with preparing
the required financial statements, and
the subsequent charges incurred by the
CPA firm. It takes proper planning to
prepare for a compilation, review or
audit, which adds to the costs incurred if
the company is not ready for the process.
Most business owners do not like
surprises. Always read the fine print and
make sure you understand all of the
covenants and reporting requirements
that come with a debt obligation. Discuss
these items with your banker and CPA to
ensure you understand and can meet
them.
In addition, find out if any of the
three can be interchanged from one year
to the next. For example, getting a review
one year and an audit the next can save
time and money and may still be able to
satisfy the financial institution and allow
the business owner to grow into the
reporting process.
Chris Hatten, CPA, and Sam Razmandi,
CPA, at PKF Texas can be reached at
chatten@pkftexas.com or srazmandi@
pkftexas.com.
Page 4
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
10 things every construction
company should do to control
their E-Mod
Tom Spencer, Construction Practice Leader
INSURICA
San Antonio, TX
I
Assignment issues in
construction contracts
Ben Wheatley , Title
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr
Austin, TX
A
t is a beast that goes by many names: Experience Modification Rating (EMR), Experience Modification Factor
(EMF), experience modifier, and many others. I call it the
“e-mod.” Many people in the construction industry are judged by their e-mod, but
most owners and operators think their rating is out of their control. Here are 10 tried
and true ways anyone in the construction industry can take back control:
s construction, design and real estate professionals
(and their lawyers) know, the following clause is
found in most standard AIA contracts: Neither Owner nor
Architect [or Contractor] shall assign this Agreement as a whole without the written consent of the other, except that Owner may assign this Agreement to an institutional lender
providing financing for the Project.
1. Understand how your e-mod is calculated.
Understanding how your e-mod is
calculated is the foundation for building
a plan to control it. Once a basic understanding is achieved, all efforts with loss
control, claims control, and safety planning can be specifically targeted to have
the biggest impact on your bottom line.
2. Understand the financial impact of
your claims.
When you understand how individual claims affect your e-mod (and ultimately, your Workers’ Comp premium), it
is easier to allocate resources where they
can be most helpful. Claims trends can be
analyzed to understand the impact of
specific types of claims. This information
can then be used to foresee problems
before they get out of control.
3. Invest in your company’s safety culture.
Creating a strong safety culture is an
investment in the future success of your
operations. It is well documented that a
strong safety culture has far-reaching
benefits, including increasing employee
retention, increasing employee morale,
creating a team atmosphere, and drastically reducing workplace injuries.
4. Make Return-to-Work work for you.
Early Return-to-Work, or “light-duty,”
programs have been shown to have tremendous benefits, when implemented
correctly. While some employers have
mixed feelings about Return-to-Work,
nearly every best-in-class construction
company has some form of a Return-toWork program—and for good reasons.
5. Work with loss control and risk management experts.
Loss control and risk management experts can do more than keep you in compliance with OSHA requirements. A skilled professional can assess your current operations
and make recommendations based upon
best-in-class status. Pro tip: check with your
insurance carrier to see if they offer free loss
control services to policyholders.
6. Help control the cost of claims.
Controlling the cost of claims goes beyond timely claim reporting. Develop a procedure for injured employees to follow, and
work with your insurance carrier to communicate with injured employees. Routine claims
Because the only explicit exception
to the consent prerequisite in the AIA
Contract is for institutional lenders, courts
have questioned whether this provision
actually prevents the assignment of contract performance or related causes of action. For example, design and construction professionals want the right to
choose who they work for. On the other
hand, a developer may have a difficult
time selling a newly completed project if
the design and construction teams cannot be held accountable for defects that
are discovered after a sale.
In addressing this question, courts
generally interpret this provision to prohibit the assignment of contract performance,
but not the assignment of a post-performance cause of action relating to that performance. The primary purpose of clauses
prohibiting the assignment of contract
rights without permission is to allow the
party to select the persons with whom he
[or she] deals. When a contract is performed prior to the assignment of a breach
of contract claim arising therefrom, assignment of the claim does not require consent
because a general anti-assignment clause,
one aimed at prohibiting the assignment of
a contractual performance, does not necessarily prohibit the assignment of a breach
of contract cause of action.
The legal distinction between the
“right to assign performance under a contract and the right to receive damages for
its breach” is the right to assign performance of the executory contract. There
are two reasons for this distinction:
First, is the general rule that causes of action are freely assignable
Second, references not only the distinction between executory and non-executory contracts, but between contracts
pre- and post-breach
Even though an executory contract
may be non-assignable because of its personal nature, after an event that gives rise
to a liability on a contract, the reason for
the rule disappears and the cause of action
arising under the contract is assignable.
Thus, claims for money due under a contract, which is non-assignable because of
its personal nature, may be assigned to a
third person and enforced by the assignee.
Courts have traditionally made this
reviews can keep you up-to-date on claims
before they spiral out of control. Claims costs
are directly related to how your e-mod is calculated, and the lower your claims costs are,
the lower your e-mod will be.
7. Communicate with your insurance
carrier.
Develop relationships with the
claims managers and adjusters at your insurance carrier. Most carriers have a limited number of claims people, so it is
common to work with the same people
over many years on multiple claims. Let
them know you take your safety culture
very seriously, and communicate with
them about resources at your disposal,
such as your Return-to-Work program.
8. Hire the right people.
Construction is hard work. Ensuring
that capable, skilled workers are being
hired is one of the easiest ways to prevent
fraudulent claims and control overall
claims costs. Best-in-class companies utilize pre-employment screenings and
physicals in order to avoid potentially
problematic hires. Additional resources
available include reference checks, motor vehicle record checks, criminal background checks, and integrity testing.
9. Create safety goals.
Having employees buy in to your safety culture is paramount for your success.
Creating achievable short- and long-term
goals is a way to engage employees and
give them ownership in the safety process.
10. Celebrate safety success.
Adding to number nine, it is important to celebrate team safety successes.
Many companies choose to do monthly
catered lunches for loss-free months,
while others provide things like new
work boots to their employees to reward
successes. Regardless of what your specific incentive program consists of, it is
important that the message is well-communicated and all mid-level managers
support all safety goals and celebrations.
Tom Spencer is the Construction Practice Leader for INSURICA’s Texas offices. His
experience as a life-long construction insurance professional gives him a unique understanding of managing the risks facing
the construction industry. Tom can be contacted at TSpencer@INSURICA.com or by
phone at 210.805.5901.
distinction between an assignment of a
right or thing before a loss or breach has
occurred, and an assignment of a right or
thing after a loss or breach has occurred.
This is because pre-breach assignments
involve the potential creation of new
contractual relationships, which could
materially increase the risk of the nonconsenting party, whereas the postbreach assignment is supported by the
law concerning the free alienability of
causes of action that do not materially increase the risk of the non-consenting
party because, in theory, that risk has
been fixed by the breach or loss. Last,
when the anti-assignment clause prohibits assignment “as a whole,” assignment
of the right to sue only constitutes a partial assignment.
The AIA language above will not prevent the assignment of a contract, even
while executory. Rather, a party seeking
to enforce the anti-assignment provision
will simply have a breach of contract
claim for damages arising from the
breach. If a party wants to prevent assignment while a contract is executory, it
should include language in the clause
noting that any assignment without consent is void and unenforceable.
Finally, when reviewing a design or
construction contract, which contains an
anti-assignment provision, carefully consider the long term implications of such a
clause, in the context of your project role
as a designer, builder or owner. Each project constituent will have a different view
on what it actually wants as a result of
such a provision, and ensure that the language plainly states your ultimate goal.
Ben Wheatley has more than 23 years
of experience litigating complex construction and environmental matters, negotiating and drafting construction and design
contracts, serving as in-house counsel for
an international A/E firm, and working on
issues concerning the practice of architecture, engineering, and project construction
in all 50 states, Mexico and South America.
In addition to construction law matters,
Ben handles administrative matters related
to the construction and design industry, as
well as environmental and commercial litigation. bwheatley@munsch.com www.
munsch.com
We’ve got this!
The crew from ABC Painting and Drywall LLC in Corpus Christi took part in this year’s
Corpus Christi Home and Garden Show. –cw
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Page 5
likely to occur without a­
f fecting any
change in the perceived light. The rise
and set of a new moon is invisible anyway, and overcast weather often hides
the moon. Without prior knowledge of
setting and rising times, two of the best
fishing times will be missed every day!
Using the moon to
your advantage
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Sponsored by:
Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, Evinrude
Outboards, E-Z Bel Construction,
Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ­­­ForEverlast Hunting
and Fishing Products MirrOlure, and
Columbia Sportswear
E
very fisherman knows that the best
fishing times are when the fish are
feeding. This tends to be during
dawn and dusk, but what often goes unnoticed are the two periods elsewhere in
the day - moonrise and moonset. Because the moon has an effect on a variety
of factors surrounding the fish, these periods, combined with the moon’s phase,
are what trigger feeding. By understanding this, and choosing times when sun-
Got a chance to bring my son Carson on a charter with Mike Kaiman and his daughter Kelsey.
Here are the kids with a couple of Baffin Bay redfish that were caught during the break.
rise/sunset and moonrise/moonset coincide with new or full moon phases, you’ll
increase you chance of a good fishing
catch. Assuming there are fish in the
area, of course.
Choosing The Best Fishing Times
There really is nothing complicated
about this at all; it’s just a matter of
knowing ahead of time exactly when the
sun and moon will rise and set. Fish are
most active during 90-minute windows
surrounding each of these four daily
events; that’s 45 minutes before and after
these four daily points.
Everyone
has a story.
Send us
yours.
Fishing during these four periods will
help increase your fishing catch, but if
you plan wisely so as to ensure you’re at
the water’s edge on the days of new or
full moon, you can use these ‘windows’
to reel in a catch like you’ve never done
before. If you have to choose between
sunrise/set and moonrise/set, always go
with the moon as the moon is the stronger influence.
Hunters have always known that fish
and game are most active at dawn and
dusk - sunrise and sunset - but their activity surrounding moonrise and moonset is
less noticeable because these events are
Other Considerations
When planning your fishing by moon
phase, there are certain other factors that
should also be considered. Weath e r :
Severe weather changes have an impact
on the way fish feed. When a storm’s
brewing, or just after one has passed, is a
good time. If this happens while you’re in
place, you’ll be in for a treat! However, if
there’s a cold front approaching, the fish
are likely to move deeper into the water
and become inactive.
Season: Most fish are more likely to
bite willingly during seasonal transitions
with the transition from winter to spring
and summer to fall being the two bestfishing times.
Now tht you know that moon phase
fishing really works, there’s no reason
why you shouldn’t utilize this knowledge
to increase your own fishing catch by being at the ready with your rod during the
best fishing times available. It’s easy and
it works!
My summer schedule is filling quick.
Don’t wait till all the good dates are gone!
To schedule your next bay fishing trip
give Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-8133716 or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at
SteveSchultzOutdoors @ gmail.com.
Good luck and Good Fishing.
Send us your photos and stories.
Outdoor activities and sports
Fishing • Hunting • Biking • Racing
Hobbies • Crafts • Entertainment
All content and photos are placed free of charge.
Email to: STeditor@ConstructionNews.net
or call Cyndi at 210-308-5800
Page 6
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
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
Liquid Resurrection!
I
just saw a sweet sight. Three generations of my neighbors just slipped
down to the boat dock to wet a hook
and see if they could catch a mess of
crappie. Now you might think that would
be a routine thing if you weren’t from
around here. The amazing thing is that
the kids of the group are just getting acquainted with the lake because it has
been dry for most if not all their lives. It’s
like that old West Texas joke about
drought that says a three year old kid
would think the sky was falling if it rained
because it never had in his life time.
After being over 34 feet low at its worst
the level of Lake Buchanan has risen to
just a little over 4 feet low! It has taken
several rises on the Colorado River since
July of last year to get the water back, but
it is finally here!
Years of drought left thousands of
acres of lake bottom dry and exposed to
the sun. The rich silt grew all kinds of
heavy brush and trees. Now all of that
structure is mostly hidden beneath the
waves again and the fish have already
moved in, just in time to spawn and raise
their young. Buchanan is poised to become a destination fishing lake once
again!
All around the lake the lights are
coming on as people come back to enjoy
their lake houses and rediscover their favorite resorts and fishing camps. We are
hearing not only from fishermen that had
been displaced by this drought, but from
long lost friends and customers from up
to 30 years ago. Everyone seems to just
want to check in on the return of the water and recapture the good times they’ve
had here and we are happy to welcome
them. We can’t seem to stop looking at
the lake either!
I can’t explain how good it is to hear
soft conversation on the cabin porches
over coffee, and smell bacon sizzling as
the sun comes up, children playing on
the beach with splashing dogs and fishing boats idling in and out of the docks in
the cool morning air or the scent of fish
and taters frying as the sun goes down.
It is so nice to have everyone around
again. It was too quiet for a long time
around here.
Already we have plenty of bait fish
that have moved back in. For the first
time in several years the white bass have
been able to make it all the way up to the
head of the lake at Colorado Bend State
Park for their spawning run. Stripers and
hybrids are back to their old spring migration patterns like nothing ever hap-
pened. Largemouth bass are starting to
find themselves good spots to nest and
the crappie are loving all the brush to
hide in. Everything seems to be settling
back into place
I know this same scenario is being
played out all over the state with the other lakes that are returning. We are in for a
fine fishing season this year. Don’t miss
out on going back to the waterfront; after all we have learned just how precious
our water is and how quick it can be
gone.
Submitted to Construction News
Play makers
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
AFC Builders LLC in Pharr is proudly sponsoring this soccer team on which AFC owner
Eloy Aguirre’s son, Ian Eloy Aguirre, 11, is pictured in the second row, far right. –cw
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Page 7
Protect yourself but be safe
G
uns have been a debated topic for
as long as I can remember. It
seems you are either for them or
against them and not much is in between. The fastest growing group of
handgun shooters appears to be females
between 30 and 60 years old.
We wanted to find the reason for this
dramatic increase so we headed up to
Ballistic Therapy LLC just outside of
Boerne for some answers.
Sandy and Wes Barnett opened the
facility in August 2015, but are not newcomers to the industry. The facility includes an indoor range, gun shop and a
classroom for License to Carry and other
training.
“We first went through the process
to receive our FFL (Federal Firearms License) and started selling firearms. Ladies would buy a firearm and didn’t know
anything about it and that led to training,” said Sandy. “About four to five years
ago we started thinking about our own
shop. I really enjoy training women. This
range became vacant so we met up with
Sandy Barnett spends time with Dana
Calonge in the classroom before hitting the
range.
Beginner’s luck? Not according to Wes Barnett, who says women
are more focused when learning to shoot.
a partner and took it over.”
How did she get started shooting I
asked. Her big smile and quick response
was that daddy had no boys so he turned
his three girls into tomboys. She is the
oldest and started shooting at 9.
I turned the focus of my questions to
the driving force behind the increase in
women learning to shoot and carry a firearm for protection.
“In the last five years it has really
gone up. I think it’s the world we live in
now. That’s what I hear from a lot of ladies. They don’t want to have to rely on
their boyfriend or husband. They want to
feel protected when they are in or out of
their home. Forty percent of our business
is women,” continued Sandy.
Wes explained that formal training
appeals to people, as well.
“Husbands are also bringing their
spouses in to have them trained as opposed to training them themselves,” he
said. “Also, after the wives learn to shoot
they can come in together. Shooting as a
Outdoor time
Eric Kennedy, SpawGlass South Texas Division and his son, Cole, went camping at La Paloma,
Texas. While there, they took part in the father/son wood splitting contest at the Gault Ranch.
Eddie Rodriguez, a superintendent for SpawGlass, spent a day catching dinner at the coast.
sport has drawn countless number of
women.”
Women who walk in the range may
be uncertain, Sandy says.
“Probably one half the ladies that
walk in this door are somewhat afraid of a
gun,” she said. It’s the unknown. They
don’t know what to expect or if they will
even want to shoot. They also worry
about if they will shoot well.”
Is it better for a lady to be trained by
a male or female was my next question
and how does she get a new shooter over
that initial fear? Also, what is the difference between the sexes when it comes
to learning about guns and safety?
“They come in and say ‘I want to
learn from a female because I feel more
comfortable.’ I work with them one on
one using a nice easy approach. Safety is
first hands down. It’s the first thing I start
with and no matter what we are talking
about, we go back to safety. Over and
over again we talk about safety,” stated
Sandy. “They come in and are usually a
little nervous. After we go though the
steps and some training sessions they are
more comfortable and their confidence is
building. Confidence plays a big part.”
According to Wes, women have different strengths than men.
“Women seem to multitask a little
better than men do,” says Wes. “They
seem to follow the process better when
they step into the lane. They do the same
thing in sequence all the time. They are
very deliberate in what they are doing.
Guys don’t necessarily do that.”
Sandy says she has a specific plan in
place for training women shooters.
“There is a strategy in the training,”
said Sandy. “When I get them in here we
take it step by step by step. Women will
spend more time in the class than the
males hands down. They ask more questions. They want to know and make sure
they get it right.
“Also we go through the process
even before we go into the range so I am
comfortable they know how to dry fire,
stance, hand placement and all of that.”
I brought Dana Calonge our new
Construction News account manager to
the interview since she had shown interest in learning more about guns. She had
never shot a handgun so a first training
session seemed like a good idea.
Sandy began going through the basics with Dana and I could tell very quickly
that safety is the number one topic in this
classroom, along with lots and lots of basics. After this phase was complete we
headed to the range and, here again, the
first thing out of Sandy’s mouth was safety rules.
It was interesting to watch Dana and
her initial apprehension about what she
was about to do. She was carefully guided step by step. Load one round of 22
long rifle into the pistol. Assume the
proper stance, proper grip, proper aim
and gently squeeze the trigger.
After that first shot she said, “I wasn’t
aiming there.”
Her first shot was in the 8. Now load
up three more rounds and go again. This
time each of the shots hit close to the X
circle. Beginners luck, I said to myself.
Next was the step up to a Sig Sauer
P238 and six more rounds. This sweet little .380 was going to be Dana’s first experience with a little bit more recoil. All six
landed in the X circle and now I really believe in first time luck. The gal is now
hooked on something new.
Back to the classroom and a little
more conversation and I had to ask. “Are
the ladies really better shots than men?”
Sandy says yes, but then puts in a, “I
don’t know why,” but Wes may have the
answer.
“When guys get guns our first
thoughts are, “I can’t wait to go shoot”
and wanting to shoot off a lot of rounds.
With the women, they are not so much
about that. They are about hitting that X
and seem to be more focused, I think.”
Proper training and fit seems to be
the key word at Ballistic Therapy and I
asked Sandy for her final comments.
“I want women to know when they
come into this range it’s different than
anything you have experienced before
hands down,” she said. “Wes and I are
proud to say that. If they have never shot
before we suggest a shooting course to
get the basics down then we can go into
other classes. We tell them if they are going to carry they need to train. If you
don’t train, then maybe they shouldn’t
have a gun with you.
“Buying a gun is a personal fit like
buying a pair of shoes or a purse. It has to
be what you are comfortable with and
that’s why we have you try before you
buy. And safety is always first.”
Buddy Doebbler
Publisher
P.S. After Dana left, I went to the range
and shot a box with terrible results. I
asked Wes to hide the evidence (target) in
the trash.
P.S.S. Next day I had an eye appointment
and found out my prescription really
needed to be changed. I knew there was
a reason.
Receiving formal training before picking up this new skill is a good idea. Pictured, L-R: Dana
Calonge, and Sandy and Wes Barnett, owners of Ballistic Therapy LLC.
Page 8
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
My mother is giving and caring. She
was always involved in the church and
the community. She taught me about
giving back.
Jim and Jennifer
Hartman
Owners
VCS Companies
Victoria, Tx
J
im and Jennifer Hartman have been
married for 49 years and although
Jennifer says Jim was the first “cowboy” she ever dated, their successful
union and success in business can be attributed to a strong faith in God and family.
In 1985, Jim and a partner bought
Victoria Communications. It was the start
of a growing operation that now includes
four businesses. Many of the employees
have been with the Hartman’s since the
beginning, with one employee explaining it as “the best place and family to
work for in Victoria.”
Tell me about your roots and family in
Victoria, Jennifer.
My grandfather, Walter Rode, was a
contractor or carpenter in Victoria. Some
of the buildings he built are still standing.
My grandmother was from Austria. Her
parents put her and her sister on a boat
to America when she was 13 years old.
Her brother was a Lutheran pastor in the
Hallettsville area, which is where she met
my grandfather. They had six children.
My dad, E.R. “Nook” Rode, is the only
one who stayed in the area. He was in
the Navy Seabees during WWII. After he
came back, he worked for the railroad
and in the oil fields until he retired. He
started Rocket Workover retiring from
that in 1984. The Rocket logo we use today is from his business. He also played
semi-pro baseball as a pitcher for the Victoria Rosebuds.
My mother is Marge Huddleston
Rode. She was raised in Palacios by her
grandmother and moved to Victoria. She
met my dad while she was working at
Foster Field Air Force Base. My dad’s sister also worked there and introduced
them. She has been a volunteer at Citizens Hospital for 59 years serving in local,
district and state offices through the
years.
I have a brother, Ronnye Rode. They
live in Tennessee, but are moving back to
Texas soon at his retirement.
What did your parents teach you that
you have always carried with you?
My dad instilled in me to always put
your faith and your family first in all that
you do.
Jennifer Rode Hartman with her father,
E.R. “Nook” Rode.
What were Jim’s early years like?
He was raised in Corpus Christi and
graduated from Miller High School in
1963. He was very active in livestock
showing during his school years.
His father is R.F. “Dick” Hartman originally from Cuero and his mother is Dorothy Smith Hartman originally from Victoria. His father was the Ag rep for CP&L
and he traveled the state. He chaired and
judged many stock shows across the
state and world, was responsible for organizing many “community clubs” in
Texas. His mother’s family ranched in
the Victoria area. When they retired, they
moved to Victoria.
What did he take from his parent’s lessons and way of life?
The same as me – God and family
first. We were not affluent. We knew
where things came from. There were a lot
of similarities in the way we were raised.
How did the two of you meet?
My best friend was Jim’s cousin and
she set us up on a blind date. It was interesting. I’d never dated a cowboy before!
But he was a total gentleman. We dated
for two years and got married in June
1967 when I was 19.
What did you do next?
Following graduation from Victoria
High School, I received my Associates degree from Victoria College in 1967. Jim
and I moved to Kingsville following our
wedding where he was attending Texas
A&I University.
I worked on campus, and he was a
police officer at night while attending
classes in the day. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in January 1970 in animal science.
When we moved back to Victoria, he
worked for the state, and I worked for
First Victoria National Bank. Jim also went
to work at First Victoria National within a
short time. After the children were born, I
was a stay-at-home mom and involved in
our church, their schools, Junior League,
the HEAR Foundation and others groups
through the years.
In 1985, Jim and a partner bought
Victoria Communications. It was struggling, so they asked me to come in and
help.
How did that go?
I realized pretty quickly what some
of the most pressing issues were and
knew I needed to be able to make quick
decisions without having to go to them
every time.
They agreed to let me run the business, which I ended up owning at the dissolution of the partnership.
God had a plan for me and it’s been
fun. It was a challenge, however, not to
get a paycheck for several of the beginning years!
I had very limited knowledge about
what the business entailed. I knew what a
2-way radio was, which in the beginning
was all that we sold. I had to learn about
the FCC and FAA, radio products and systems and so much through training,
reading and basic hands-on learning. I
continue to take advantage of opportunities to learn and grow my knowledge in
this world of technology.
In 1988, I was approached to be an
agent by Cellular One and GTE Mobilnet.
I went with GTE Mobilnet which, through
many mergers, is now AT&T Wireless.
We’ve stayed the course and been very
blessed by this decision, being a leading
AT&T Authorized Retailer in this area.
We’ve expanded our footprint beyond radios and have a very strong focus
on Motorola and all of their solutions.
We’re proud to be their lead partner in
this entire area offering their full portfolio of products.
Jim and Jennifer Hartman at Christmas with their four grandchildren, back row, Kyle Henke;
front row, L-R: Ryan and Ethan Hartman and Katelinn Henke.
You also started a second business at
that time, right?
Yes. In 1998, we started VCS Security
Systems Inc. It started as burglar alarms in
homes and has expanded to both residential and commercial in the areas of
burglary, fire, CCTV, access, automated
homes and office, audio and cinema. I
would say we do 60 percent of our business in construction of new buildings,
home and commercial. Our products and
systems are a permanent part of the finished project. We’re privileged to be the
preferred subcontractor with known
general contractors and residential contractors in many areas.
What are the other two companies under the VCS umbrella?
In 2006, we bought Infiniti Communications Technologies (ICT) and in 2011
Rocket Oilfield Services began.
ICT provides network design and
maintenance, computer services, network cabling and infrastructure, business
phone systems, Wi Fi and fiber optic
technology cabling to support many of
the solutions we provide as well as within
our customers’ locations.
Rocket Oilfield Services handles boring and trenching for the installation of
pipelines, cabling and other applications.
In 2013, our son, J.R. Hartman Jr. and
a partner, started Rocket Field Services,
which also handles boring and trenching,
site preparations in the oilfield such as
pipeline, well hookups; road, location
and facility construction; fencing and
gates; lease crews.
We’re all intertwined and see the
businesses as offering most ‘all’ solutions
from a single basket. Our children are officers in respective corporations and
share our passion about them being truly
a ‘family’ business with each of us sharing
the load.
What is your philosophy towards your
employees?
We have a goal of cross training everyone. We have a lot of employees with
long tenure. It’s a blessing in today’s
world. We have a great team. We stress
professionalism, integrity and honesty. If
you have that, it opens the door to both
gain and retain customers. Excellent customer service is a vital key to success.
Tell me about your family.
We have two married children. Our
daughter, Kelly Henke, handles accounts
payable for two of the companies. Our
son, J.R., is involved in management.
Both have basically ‘grown up’ with our
businesses.
Kelly has two children, a 14-year-old
and a 9-year-old daughter. J.R. has twin
boys who are 12. The grandchildren are
the highlights of our life!
Our children and their spouses are all
involved in their families lives, our com-
munity and exemplify what Jim and sincerely believe….we are blessed so that
we may share and bless others.
What do you do when you are not
working?
We are very involved in our church,
First English Lutheran Church. It was the
first English speaking Lutheran Church in
Victoria. We both serve on various boards
and committees.
Jim recently acquired some registered Brahma cattle, so he is having fun
with them. To our grandchildren we are
“MeMe” and “P”. All four are very active
at school, make excellent grades and truly bring joy whenever we’re with them…..
yes, I’m a very proud grandmother! Our
granddaughter and “P” are very tight.
She loves to drive him around the pasture to feed his heifers while the boys are
always eager to be outside hunting, fishing and doing the guy things.
I’m on the board of Theatre Victoria
and Future Sight (our daughter-in-law’s
nonprofit). I’ve been honored to serve on
multiple boards and with organizations
that share my passion to give back into
our community and particularly to children.
Do you travel?
Not much. Jim doesn’t like to travel,
and I go on the occasional business trip.
We have a place in Rockport that I love
and Jim ‘tolerates’. Being in the salt air
and watching the water is great therapy
and sufficient ‘travel’ for me while Jim
prefers the pasture on his tractor or hunting as his ‘travel’.
We love to do things with the grandchildren and love watching them at their
various events and sports.
What are the keys to being a successful business owner?
One, believe that God has chosen
you to do this
Two have family support of what you
do.
Three, you have to be willing to work.
You have to be willing to do anything you
ask your employees to do. Work ethic is
key.
Four, include extracurricular activities to keep your sanity.
You were very close to your dad,
weren’t you?
Yes, and I miss him very much. People around here knew him and knew his
reputation as a person, a Christian and a
businessman. One thing I learned from
that is to keep your reputation in business at a level that will benefit you, as
well as your heirs. I loved being asked if I
was Nook’s daughter when getting started and even still today. He was truly my
mentor in many respects. He never met a
stranger and was always professional. I
hope that I’m the same way. –cw
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Page 9
Women in Construction
Plenty of opportunity for
women in construction
Riki F. Lovejoy, President
National Association of Women
in Construction (NAWIC)
San Antonio, TX
W
hat is your background in the construction industry?
I have been in the industry since 1985, starting as a receptionist for a national general contractor. By the time the company had a layoff I
was a project manager. At this point, in 1990, with a male partner, we opened a carpentry/concrete/miscellaneous specialties company. By day I worked in the field
alongside our crew on commercial projects; by night, I was president of the company
and all that entailed. Due to personal issues, both for my family and my partner’s, we
closed the business in 1992. From there, I went back to work with
a couple of local general contractors and
finished my education. In August 2001, I
opened RFL Consulting Solutions in Orlando, FL. We are a construction management consulting firm specializing in
owner and lender representation on
commercial projects and moved to the
San Antonio area in October 2012.
Why did you choose a career in the
construction/construction-related industry?
Prior to 1985, I had worked both in
the hospitality and insurance industries
but knew that neither of these was to be
a life-long career for me. I had also
worked as a part-time secretary/bookkeeper for a masonry subcontractor. The
VP of the company would take the office
staff on ‘field trips’ to visit the various
projects we had going. From these field
trips I found it fascinating to watch a
building literally rise from the ground. I
realized that this was a very ‘tangibly’ rewarding career opportunity. I also realized that I could make better money to
support myself (and later, others) nicely. I
love the fact that 10 years or more later, I
could drive by a building that I had a part
in and realize that the building is a part of
any city’s history and/or footprint.
Do you have a mentor? I don’t think I can honestly say I have
had A mentor, and certainly not for this
industry. What I will say is that the support I received from the ladies in the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) was probably the biggest
factor in staying in construction and continuing to pursue career goals. And to be
perfectly frank, I really did not realize the
knowledge and leadership skills I had received from being an active member until 20 years after becoming a member
and becoming a part of the national
board.
Not that I want to shamelessly plug
NAWIC, but I truly believe I would not
have had the ‘moxie’ to pursue the starting of my companies, working in the field
with little skill but learning as I went
along, co-authoring in women’s issues
books, doing workshops and other presentations, or even becoming the president of NAWIC. So I say all this to say that
I believe NAWIC was my mentor – or rather the members of NAWIC!
What are the benefits of women pursuing a construction career?
There are sooooo many avenues in
the construction industry that can be
pursued. When someone first says ‘con-
struction career’, the first thought is the
field/trades people, which I’ll get back to.
Architects, engineers, contractors, business owners, developers, are next in line.
But because of the very nature of construction, attorneys, CPA’s, bookkeepers,
insurance/bonding agents – all must
have knowledge specific to construction. With all this said, women can find themselves in any aspect of construction to be
able to support themselves and their
families very well. Personally, working in the field was
very fulfilling to my sense of accomplishment. I believe having a trade/skill becomes the basis for conquering anything
that is thrown in our path. Additionally,
the industry as a whole is changing…
women will have a very positive influence on these changes and there is a very
large sense of satisfaction in being a part
of these changes.
What do you enjoy most about your
career?
I would have to say still seeing that
building that I had a part in, whether as a
PM/Owner-Lender’s Rep or when I
worked in the field and knowing that my
contribution to the project was a key part
of the ‘being’ of the building. Next,
would be the people, including the men,
who I have met along the way. For the
most part they are all hardworking, honest people with the same goal of a great
building coming into existence.
What specific challenges have you
faced in your career?
Early on in my career, being taken serious that I knew what was going on with
a project and wasn’t ‘the secretary’ was
very frustrating for me. Also, with the
first GC that I worked with, I was actually
passed over for a PM position for a guy
that had literally just got out of college
and I was asked to ‘train him’. I had been doing PM work for about
a year with this company, but didn’t have
the title or money that went with this! In the field, I did have to work twice
as hard to prove that I could do the work
as well the guys and there were some uncomfortable moments with being approached by guys with perhaps another
agenda for my being in the field. And I
think the worst challenge is the port-apotties! Uggghhh!
How did you overcome those challenges?
In the case of the PM pass-over – I let
the boss know in no uncertain terms that
this was not a fair decision. I did have support of a couple of the other PM’s in the
NEXT MONTH:
Concrete Industry
office so after I let loose on them and
calmed down, with their advice, I talked
to the VP (who had hired me in the first
place and knew I was looking to rise in
the company). Two things happened shortly after
this conversation – first ‘the guy/PM’ really proved himself to be near worthless…and, because I was still covering his
butt, I finally got the promotion. I’m pretty sure the pay scale was not the same,
but I still felt accomplished. The field
work – I continued to work hard, kept up
with the crew, and, in fact, found out later
that my partner used me as a benchmark
for hiring and staying employed with us. He told all new hires, first, can’t have a
problem with working with a woman in
the field and second, ‘gotta keep up with
her’. For the uncomfortable moments, I
basically just had to face the issues head
on, probably taking on a little more ‘male
attitude’ and then just staying cautious
about being alone with any of the troublesome workers (none on my crew –
these would be from the other subs on
the project). And, the port-a-potties –
well, just had to hold my nose and get
through it the best I could!
In your experience, are more opportunities opening up for women in construction?
Most definitely the opportunities are
opening up. The problem is that the
women are not taking advantage of
these opportunities. Some of this is due
to societal teaching – women are teachers, nurses, secretaries, men are plumbers, electricians, construction guys! The
industry as whole has the image of being
‘dirty’ work, ‘hard’ work, a man’s world –
most of which is true! But I see the industry as being one that will always be there
(after all, it is one of the oldest industries
in existence) and, yes, there are economic down times that would adversely affect job opportunities, but it also one of
the first to start bouncing back as the
economy improves.
What areas do you see the most increase in jobs for women?
Quite honestly, I would say the field/
trades. As predicted in the late 90’s, we
are experiencing a trades/skills shortage. In most cases, I truly believe that women
make great tradespeople because of their
attention to detail, their ability to learn
and adapt quickly, and their need to succeed.
What advice can you offer women who
want to pursue a construction career?
Talk to women that are currently in
the field of choice. If a woman thinks she
wants to pursue the trades, talk to tradeswomen about the challenges they face in
the field. And whether one goes for the
office or field job, don’t be afraid to face
the challenges, i.e. comments, being
eyed as you walk by, etc. but also don’t
complain or whine about the men. There
is a fine line of ‘being one of the guys’ and
not losing your femininity.
Which is more important for a construction career – education, or experience?
Obviously, it really depends on career choice, but in general, I think experience is the greatest education. For
tradespeople, although there is an
amount of education needed, to acquire
skill it is experience. But being of the contractor persuasion, I have also always said
that architects and engineers should
have an internship period of actually
working in the field. I have had both, but I
learned more from the experience.
From a woman’s perspective, has the
construction industry changed over
the years?
Of course, as has all other male-dominated industries. But, there is still a lot
that needs to change, specifically image
and developing a 21st century mindset. I
believe as more women come in to the
industry and take leadership positions,
these changes will move a little faster –
maybe even before we leave the 21st century! What are your goals for the future in
the construction industry?
To not have to have this discussion
about women in the construction industry. For not only women to realize the
benefits of choosing a construction career but for the industry as a whole to understand the importance of having women and their influence in making this industry a career of choice for everyone! –
cw
Page 10
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
What was your favorite
TV show growing up?
The Brady Bunch! Besides the groovy
clothes and mod architecture, the moral
dilemmas that typically presented themselves always got neatly wrapped up in
30 minutes. Now…all I want is for Alice to
move into MY house!
Cally Coleman Fromme,
Zarsky Lumber, Victoria
My Three Sons, so many cuties…..
Debbie Montez, AIA Corpus Christi
Growing up, my favorite shows
were Who's the Boss and Married with
Children. I was infatuated with Alyssa Milano and Christina Applegate!
Tre' Peacock,Peacock General
Contractors, Harlingen
My favorite TV show growing up was The
Dukes of Hazzard because it had great
action, comedy, and Daisy Duke, and it
aired on Friday nights, which meant no
school, homework, and the weekend was
starting. Jorge A. Flores, Terracon, Pharr
MacGyver. He could do anything and was
a true engineer!
Christopher Albright, Terracon, Pharr
My favorite TV show was Night Rider. I always looked forward to see it right after
school. I was sad every time show was
ending because it meant ELOY IT IS TIME
TO START YOUR HOME WORK.
Eloy Aguirre, AFC LLC, Pharr
McGyver…He always found a way!
Eric C. Kennedy, SpawGlass, Harlingen
The Jetsons when I was little – loved the
theme music and the glimpse into the future and Little House on the Prairie when
I was older. It was the show my mom and
I would watch on Monday nights while
my dad was bowling.
Cyndi Wright,
South Texas Construction News
I remember always watching Inspector
Gadget long long ago. Then probably
moved on to Saved by the Bell. Then
Friends.
Matt Ezell, South Texas Building
Partners, Corpus Christi
continued from Page 1 — To Belize for papayas!
Specifically, the couple plans to raise
Caribbean Red Papaya – a gem among
papayas.
The red papaya has been described
as a large papaya, with a melon-like flavor, fragrant aroma and beautiful salmon
red interior. It most resembles a strawberry papaya, only much sweeter.
“We’ve discovered that the fruit has
an extremely high sugar content and the
red papaya adds color and flavor to any
salad or it can be served chilled topped
with a dollop of vanilla ice cream for a
tasty tropical sundae!” Danny exclaimed.
“It’s perfect and is a feature in many of
the recipes we have, although it has been
hard to get. As an added bonus, the pinkish flesh contains papain, which helps digestion!”
Danny and Nancy are excited to get
started and can hardly wait to leave for
the tropical clime. They were thrilled
when they found a plantation for sale online and they bought it sight unseen.
“It’s a fixer upper for sure,” Danny
says. “But we both plan to get down and
dirty and fix it up while cultivating our
new lifestyle with the Belize natives.”
His partners at the firm, Robert S.
Simpson and John Gates, say they will
be sad to see Danny leave.
“It’s going to leave a big hole in our
hearts, but on the other side, we certainly
look forward to receiving crates of papayas on a regular basis,” Robert said.
Danny and Nancy left for Belize on
April 1 – and coincidentally, that is April
Fool’s Day. If you’ve read this far and believe what you read, you’ve been Fooled!
Thanks extended to the firm of
Boultinghouse, Simpson, Gates Architects for being good sports and playing
along. –cw
continued from Page 1 — Bright new star in McAllen
Leave It to Beaver was by far my favorite!
Loved every adventure “the Beaver” got
into and how his parents handled all of it.
Sue Johnson, Construction News
continued from Page 1 — A window to success
adults and Ernestine attributes at least
some of that to what they learned while
working for their parents.
Over the years, the company has
grown from just blinds to include a variety of products, including exterior hurricane blinds, and many different and wellknown interior window coverings. They
do 25 percent commercial and 75 percent residential work.
Richard is the only person in Corpus
Christi that repairs the old-fashioned
wood interior blinds, as well.
Ernestine believes the company’s
values and friendliness keeps customers
coming back.
“We always greet our customers with
a smile when they come in,” she says. “Everybody is equal, no matter what they
spend. We are just eager to help them in
any way we can.
“We are still an old-fashioned mom
and pop store. We want to make our customers happy and let them know we appreciate them stopping by.”
Academy Window Coverings has 15
full-time employees. –cw
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
ABC- Coastal Bend
AIA - LRGV
Associated Builders & Contractors
American Institute of Architects
Apr. 6: First Wednesday Mixer, 5:30-7pm,
Brewster Street Ice House. For more information, contact Venessa Spencer at (361)
289-5311.
Apr. 8-9: Membership meeting and tour
of Laredo architecture with Laredo AIA at
6pm. Contact Carmen Perez Garcia at
956-994-0939 or info@lrgvaia.org
AIA - Corpus Christi
CSI
American Institute of Architects
Construction Specifications Institute
Apr. 14: Dialogue with Architects, Advocacy Day at Turner Ramirez Architects,
3751 S. Alameda, Corpus Christi from
3-5pm. Confirmed special guests include
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, Representative Jeannie Morrison and Representative
Todd Hunter.
Apr. 18: Golf Tournament – River Hills
Country Club, 4225 River Hill Drive, Corpus Christi. Sponsorships available, contact Debbie Montez, 361-887-2124 or dgmontez@aiacorpuschristi.org
Apr. 19: Chapter Meeting – Water Street
Seafood Company; Sponsor: Walker
Glass; Presenter: Roger McGuire; Program: Bird Friendly Building Design With
Etched Glass
Apr. 14 – 16: South Central Region Spring
Conference and Trade Show, Hilton Houston Post Oak Conference Center, 2001
Post Oak Blvd., Houston, Continuing
Education:Leadership Education with
Heath SuddlesonAccessibility with Brad
Gaskins (McIntosh Group) and Jeremy
Murphy (ACI)CDT Exam Cram For more
information go to http://scr.csinet.org/
or email holly.jordan@hok.com
NAWIC - Corpus Christi
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Apr. 19: Dinner Business Meeting, public
welcome, The BBQ Man Restaurant, 5:30
pm networking, 6pm meeting, ProgramTBA, $20. Contact Vickie Thompson at
361-299-6278 or 361-438-0593 for more
information or check out nawic.org or
nawiccorpuschristi.org
A nine-story atrium adds a touch of uniqueness to the newly-renovated hotel.
panels was not always possible, and finding plumbing or electrical was not always there.”
One of the most unique features of
the renovated hotel is the atrium.
The atrium is nine stories to the top
floor and another 20-ft to the bottom of
the roof.
“We had to bring in a special lift from
Corpus Christi to paint the atrium and elevator shafts,” Wallace described. “The
existing flooring in the atrium was Saltillo tile floor, and there were numerous
planters built out of cast concrete. All of
this had to be demolished using a bobcat in the lobby, and all of this while the
hotel was in operations. The general
manager at the hotel, Eddie Lopez, was
certainly stressed, to say the least, during
this phase of the remodel. Eddie was the
ultimate professional, balancing his
guest satisfaction with the knowledge
that no time is a good time, and a ‘just
get it done’ attitude.”
The project was phased in six groups
of work, some overlapping. The guestrooms were plumbed vertically on floors
2-6 and horizontally 7-9. ASI renovated
the guestrooms sections at a time on
floors 2-6, taking out approximately 30
rooms (6 on each floor 2-6). Then, 25 percent of each floor 7-9 was tackled.
The meeting rooms were the first of
the public spaces to get renovated, as
the hotel had holiday functions during
construction. The lobby was next, which
moved the front desk operation and
guest check in, followed by the atrium
and pool. Porto Corche was last and tied
into the lobby/guest check in.
“This job took lots of planning and
willingness to adjust turnover dates on
www.constructionnews.net
publishing the industry’s news
both sides due to the hotel staying in operation,” Wallace said. “The finished product was beautiful.”
Wallace says everybody worked together as a team during the challenging
project.
“We really had a perfect blend of personalities on this job,” he says. “The developer/management group, Phoenix
Hospitality Group, is well versed and specializes in large hospitality renovations.
This being at least their fourth of this size,
they knew what to expect and that things
have to move and adjust. The management of the hotel, led by Eddie Lopez,
have all been working at the property for
years, some like Eddie for over 20 years.
There operations manager Danny and
F&B manager Fernando have been there
since it first opened. They were well
aware of what a remodel entails while a
hotel stays open.
“Although I think even they had a
few surprises at the extent of the demo
that had to take place. ASI superintendent Mark Romel also specializes in hotel
remodeling. When ASI gets a large remodel job, Mark is always our first choice.
His attention to detail and experience of
making adjustments on the fly is what
makes him the right guy for the job. The
key to any great construction project is
team work, maintain quality, schedule,
and budget, identify the order of importance of the three, sacrifice accordingly to
keep the job moving.”
Alamo System Industries LLC, opened in
2007 by Bob and Brandon Wallace, specializes in hospitality, construction and warehousing design build projects. There are 23
employees in the McAllen office and four
employees in the San Antonio office. –cw
Texas
Style
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San Antonio
Austin
South Texas
Houston
South Texas
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Page 11
Historical bridge receives landmark status
O
n Mar. 5, 2016, more than 100 people gathered together to celebrate the declaration of the Roma-Ciudad Miguel Aleman Suspension
Bridge as an ASCE Texas and Mexico Section Historic Civil Engineering History
and Heritage Landmark as part of the
bridge’s 88th Anniversary Celebration.
Opened on March 1, 1928, the suspension bridge’s main span of 630 ft.
crosses the Rio Grande River at Roma, TX.
to Ciudad Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas,
Mexico and at the time was very important to the economic development of the
Texas-Mexico border region. In 2004, the
Mexican Government declared this
bridge as an “Artistic Monument” by the
Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes and together with the 1993 Historical Landmark
designation by the U.S. Department of
Interior, makes this bridge the only bi-national historic property to be designated
at the highest level by each of the two
countries. The bridge has also been
awarded other important historical designations by Mexico, the United States and
the Texas Historical Commission; including being placed in the National Register
of Historic Places. The bridge is owned by
Starr County and the SCT, Caminos y Puentes Federales y Servicios Conexos and
was closed to traffic in 1978 after the completion of the new pre-stressed reinforced
concrete bridge that was constructed adjacent to this historic bridge.
The Roma Suspension bridge is the
last remaining suspension bridge of its
type along the Texas/US Mexican Border.
A dedication was held on Mar. 5 to celebrate the 88th anniversary
of the historic suspension bridge.
While suspension bridges are expensive
to build, the towers enable engineers to
drape the main cables over long distances. The bridge was designed by George E.
Cole, the same engineer who built the
Royal Gorge Bridge in 1929.
The suspension bridge is currently
under consideration for rehabilitation
and restoration by the Texas Department
of Transportation and the Mexican counterpart, for use as a pedestrian crossing
between Roma and Miguel Aleman. According to the Texas Department of
Transportation, the bridge is now at
“Fracture Critical Stage” and urgent repair and restoration is necessary for its
preservation. After its repairs and restoration at an estimated cost of $9 million,
the bridge will serve as a pedestrian and
bicycle pathway between the United
States and Mexico.
The Roma suspension bridge is a
part of the Roma historic district that has
many historic properties that include Our
Lady of Refuge Catholic Church, the Old
Roma Convent, the Manuel Guerra Residence and Store, the Roma Plaza, Customs House, and many others. The bridge
was taken out of service in 1979 with the
opening of the newer Roma-Ciudad
Miguel Aleman International Bridge.
The Mar. 5th event began with citizens from both sides of the border meeting in the middle of the bridge for “el
abrazo”, or the group greeting hug between the two border communities’ dignitaries. –cw
A view from the bridge looking towards the U.S. side.
T
Burning meat
he sun was shining and the meat
was cooking at the Associated
Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Coastal Bend Chapter at its annual Burning Meat BBQ Cook-off Mar. 11-12 at San
Patricio County Fairgrounds. –cw
Winners are:
Jackpot Fajita’s
1st Place - Leo Soliz, Eagle’s Nest
Jackpot Chef’s Choice
1st Place - Michael Layton, Texas Heat
Jackpot Bean
1st Place - Jesse Avila, Full Speed Ahead
Chicken
1st Place - Robert Leal, Hitman BBQ
2nd Place - Tim Lemon, YB Legal
3rd Place - Justin Flores, Family Grillers
Pork Spare Ribs
1st Place - Rusty Hauckla, Team Woody
2nd Place - Tim Lemon, YB Legal
3rd Place - Joe Ornelas, Bodacious BBQ
Brisket
1st Place – Gary Kelly, Road Crew BBQ
2nd Place – John Leita, Big Booty Cookers
3rd Place – Randy Larson Jr, Pork Stars
Grand Champion
Gary Kelly, Road Crew BBQ
Reserve Grand
Tim Lemon, YB Legal
The grand champion winners, L-R: Gary Kelly, Randy Larson, Lawrence Wilcox
United Rentals
24Hr Safety
KAP Project Services
Scott-Macon Equipment
Page 12
South Texas Construction News • Apr 2016
Women power!
F
or one week in March, women in the
construction industry are annually
feted for their many and varied contributions to the construction industry.
Women in Construction (WIC) Week is
one of the National Association of Women in Construction’s (NAWIC) most anticipated events and the NAWIC Corpus
Christi Chapter couldn’t wait to get going
and started WIC Week a little early.
On Feb. 23, Mayor Nelda Martinez
and the Corpus Christi City Council gave a
Proclamation for WIC Week to Nawic Corpus Christi #4 during the city council
meeting. On March 6, the chapter held its second annual Hard Hat walk. They started
on Shoreline Drive and walked for oneand-a-half miles. On March 10, the women dropped
off clothes they collected at Dress For
Success. –cw
At the proclamation, chapter members are, L-R: Julia Smith, PSI; Darlene Lee Omana, CCA, CIT,
CRRL, Gill Roofing; Patricia Livas, Turner Industries; Mayor Nelda Martinez; Kristy Garza, Edgen
Murray; Virginia Garcia, Skid-O-Kan; and Lisa Huerta, CBT, Kendall Erosion.
Participating in Dress for Success were, front, L-R: Cathy Colomo Riojas, Dress for Success;
Julia Smith, PSI; Virginia Llanas, Valero Refinery; and Darlene Lee Omana, CCA, CIT, CRRL, Gill
Roofing; back, L-R: Michelle Patton, Maverick Engineering; Patricia Livas, Turner Industries;
and Lisa Huerta, CBT, Kendall Erosion.
On the walk were, L-R: Julia Smith, PSI, and her daughter Sophia; Lisa Huerta, CBT, Kendall
Erosion; Teresa Salmans-Smith, St. John’s Church; Darlene Lee Omana, CCA, CIT, CRRL, Gill
Roofing; and Amanda Kirchoff, RSK Trucking.
Engineering a win
T
he Nueces Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers
hosted an awards and scholarship
banquet on Feb. 19 at Holiday Inn Marina
in Corpus Christi. Guest speaker was
James Bass, executive director of TxDOT.
Two high school students who plan to
study engineering, Trent Wilson of Calallen High School, and Claudia Flores of
W.B. Ray High School, were presented
$1,500 scholarships. Congrats to the winners! –cw
Engineer of the Year
Larry White, PE, left,
and Anthony Gavlik, president Nueces
Chapter TSPE, right.
Engineering Student of the Year – TAMUCC,
Codey Massey, left,
and Anthony Gavlik, right.
Young Engineer of the Year
Michael York, EIT, left,
and Anthony Gavlik, right.
Engineering Student of the Year – TAMUK,
Sharam Santillan, right,
and Anthony Gavlik, left.