1. business and industrial
2. construction

www.buildhoustononline.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
1
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2
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
8450 Breen Road
Houston, TX 77064
713.937.3005
5400 Lone Star Blvd.
Ft. Worth, TX 76106
817.626.2288
800.865.6998
www.romco.com
www.buildhoustononline.com
ABC LEADERSHIP
Chair
Tim Ricketts
Channel BioRefinery & Terminals
Chair Elect
Darlene East
Holes Inc.
Vice Chair
Mike Holland
Marek Brothers Systems, Inc.
Secretary
Warren Adamson
S&B Engineers and Constructors
Treasurer
Leonard Bedell
Mobil Steel International
2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Brian Anderson
G.R. Birdwell Construction
Kerry Bennett
ISC Constructors, LLC
Kevin Bordelon
Zachry Industrial
Robert Burelsmith
E. E. Reed Construction, L. P.
Sam Craig
Craig & Heidt, Inc.
Matt Daniel
KBR Building Group
Marcus Deal
CB&I
Robert Dias
Foster Wheeler USA Corp.
Matt Elliott
SpawGlass Construction Corp.
Dinesh Ghia
Gilbane Building Company
John Golashesky
Turner Industries Group, LLC
Brandon Mabile
Performance Contractors, Inc.
John Marshall
Satterfield & Pontikes Constr. Inc.
David McCleskey
KBR
Rod Molyneau
JACOBS
Bob Nussmeier
Kiewit/TIC
Joe Orr
Baker Concrete Construction, Ind.
Rodney Page
Ref-Chem L.P.
Wendell Rychlik
W.T. Byler Company
William Sanchez
Oxford Builders Inc.
Christina Stone
Gaughan, Stone & Thiagarajan
Henry Villarreal
Turner Construction
Ben Westcott
Andrews Myers
Mark Williams
Bechtel Construction Services
Ronnie Wills
Aggregate Technologies Inc.
Lohn Zylicz
D.E. Harvey Builders, Inc.
Build Houston Magazine
3910 Kirby Drive, Suite 131
Houston, Texas 77098
(713)523-6222
www.buildhoustononline.com
Publisher/Owner: Associated Builders &
Contractors of Greater Houston
Executive Editor: Jennifer Woodruff
Assistant Editor: Megan Brann
Account Manager: Janice Peters
Graphic Design: Jennifer Woodruff,
Robert Chevis
COVER FEATURE
UNITED ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION:
A History of Proven Performance (p.15)
FOCUS SECTION:
National Economy Regains Footing: The Outlook For Houston, Texas & Beyond
(p.22)
LEGAL NEWS:
6
Six Steps To Minimize Whistleblower Claims
8
Drug Testing For Marijuana... Do You Really Want To Know?
INDUSTRY NEWS:
10
Why Strategy Matters In The Oil And Gas Industry
FINANCIAL NEWS:
12
Keep A Close Eye On These Affordable Care Act Issues
SAFETY NEWS:
16
What Time Is It?
18
Guns, Falls, Poison, Cell Phones... What’s More Deadly?
ASSOCIATION NEWS:
20
A Winning Combination of Industry Supporting Education
IN THE KNOW:
26
People, Companies, Projects and Awards
Aggregate Technologies Inc...................................4
American Mat & Timber Co. ................................25
Cokinos, Bosien & Young.....................................21
Craig and Heidt, Inc. ..............................................7
Efficiency Shoring & Supply................................11
Expertox...............................................................11
Ford Nassen & Baldwin P.C..................................17
www.buildhoustononline.com
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
Interface Consulting International, Inc................21
ISC Constructors, LLC..............................................7
Kerr, Hendershot & Canon, P.C.............................19
Locke Solutions Precast Division .........................13
Marek Brothers Systems......................................13
Merit Professional Coatings.................................19
Porter Hedges LLP...............................................28
ROMCO Equipment................................................2
Scott Macon Equipment........................................9
TCA/The Compliance Alliance L.P..........................5
Total CAD Systems Inc............................................9
United Electrical & Instrumentation....................15
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
3
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
Dear Reader,
The year is quickly coming to a close, as is my Chairmanship. Darlene East of Holes Incorporated will
be taking the reins for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Greater Houston in 2015. To
prepare for this transition, a combined planning conference was held in October for both ABC and
Construction & Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF). One of the main conference focuses
was once again workforce development and training. There is a difference! During the meeting the
distinction was made that workforce development is “attracting, training, and retaining” workers in
the industry.
CMEF has made significant gains in attracting young prospective construction workers by sponsoring
Houston area high schools that want to embed NCCER classes as part of their curriculums. There
are currently 28 local high schools being sponsored by CMEF and ABC Members. Additionally, both
ABC and CMEF will be making a concerted effort to attract military service members returning from
overseas into the construction industry. Here is the catch; once these individuals have been attracted
into the industry, and have received adequate training, they need to be hired. That is where our
membership comes in. We need to put these folks on job sites!
There is an new effort by ABC to connect workers with industry employers – an online Job Posting board has been created. Both finding
a job with one of our member companies as well as finding potential workers is as simple as uploading job opportunities or resumes
to the online platform, which can be found at buildhoustononline.com. Anyone can post a resume but only ABC members can post
a job or view a resume that has been posted. This service is free through December 31st. Please advertise this service to your HR
professionals and let’s give these new people entering the construction industry an opportunity.
The only way we will grow our workforce is by hiring new people
interested in entering the industry!
Finally, I will leave you with a thought. Employee retention is
something that depends on a number of different variables, it is
individual to each company, and is somewhat challenging with
demographic and cultural changes. There is, however, a common
thread that I believe is fundamental. We will never convince
an employee that we care about them as a person if we don’t
continue to provide a safe workplace. ABC members are the
safest contractors in the country, but we need to continue this
focus as each of our companies become increasingly busy.
Have a great rest of the year!
Tim Ricketts
ABC Greater Houston Chairman
Director of Projects, Channel
BioRefinery & Terminals
4
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
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Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
5
Whistle
blowing in corporate America is big
business. Recently, the SEC Office of the
Whistleblower issued a $30 million bounty payment to a foreign
whistleblower, an award more than double the amount of any
previous payment. This payout came on the heels of a $300,000
payout to an internal compliance officer who blew the whistle on
corporate wrongdoing to the government.
The magnitude of these awards underscores a fundamental
shift in enforcement strategy among regulatory agencies from
encouraging internal corporate compliance to policing corporate
conduct by encouraging employees to report directly to the
government. The message proclaimed by government agencies
to employees is simple: report misconduct outside the company
in exchange for protection from retaliation, significant penalties
against the company, and very lucrative financial rewards for the
whistleblower. The take-away for employers is even more simple:
improve your internal whistleblower response systems and your
ethics and compliance programs or face the consequences.
The message proclaimed by government
agencies to employees is simple: report
misconduct outside the company in
exchange for protection from retaliation,
significant penalties against the
company, and very lucrative financial
rewards for the whistleblower.
To help construct a proactive defense against increased
government enforcement efforts and would-be whistleblowers,
including your company’s own compliance and audit professionals,
employers should work with knowledgeable counsel to take the
following critical measures:
(1) Review and analyze your company’s Ethics and Compliance
Program. An outsider’s objective and expert review of the
6
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
ethics and compliance program
can help identify gaps and areas for
improvement.
(2) Update and elevate the importance
of anti-retaliation policies and
procedures and re-train employees
and executives at every level. Many
companies still have a very weak
JODON
policy generally prohibiting retaliation,
and they do not train managers that potentially insignificant
decisions can lead to an employee believing that he or she
is the victim of retaliation. Fear of retaliation can prevent
employees from coming forward internally with reports of
misconduct and may increase the likelihood that they will take
their concerns directly to the government.
(3) Ensure that your company has a comprehensive incident
management system. Recent research shows that only
3–5% of reports of misconduct are made through a helpline.
Supervisors and managers receive the vast majority of such
reports directly. If the supervisors and managers receiving
these reports do not properly escalate the reports, the
company will never have the chance to investigate and rectify.
Additionally, such failures foster the perception that it does not
do any good to use the internal reporting mechanism, thereby
pushing employees to report directly to the government
instead of the company.
(4) Develop investigation protocols and train. Conducting
effective and lawful investigations is no longer a luxury for
a company; it is a necessity. A well-designed investigation
system will better ensure that all important legal and
compliance issues are identified, tracked, and resolved. Make
sure the persons who conduct your investigations have been
properly trained on how to investigate thoroughly.
www.buildhoustononline.com
Whistleblower Claims | LEGAL NEWS
(5) Review and update your company’s Code of Conduct.
Code of Conduct policies are in the cross-hairs of regulatory
enforcement actions, especially those policies that impose
strict confidentiality requirements prohibiting the filing
of charges with government agencies. Ensure that the
company’s Code of Conduct adequately addresses important
compliance concerns, risk areas, and cultural commitments
to ethics and integrity. An effective Code should be more
than just words on the page. Companies should take steps
to ensure that the policies and principles in the Code are
effectively communicated and implemented at all levels of the
organization.
(6) Make workplace culture a priority. Employees who fear
retaliation or do not trust their managers and corporate
leaders to make ethical decisions are much less likely to come
forward internally with reports of misconduct. Companies
should work to promote an ethical workplace culture in which
employees feel comfortable speaking up about potentially
unlawful or unethical conduct.
Firmwide:129951501.1 800000.1000
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
G. Mark Jodon, managing shareholder for Littler Mendelson’s Houston office,
is board-certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal
Specialization. Mark advises employers on whistleblowing and retaliation issues.
He can be reached at (713) 652-4739 and mjodon@littler.com.
I N D U S T R I A L
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set high standards of their own,
and constantly challenge themselves
to get even better.
If that sounds good to you,
call ISC -- whether you're planning a job
or looking for one.
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League City, TX 77573
281-338-2000
www.iscgrp.com
Accredited Training Sponsor
www.buildhoustononline.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
7
DRUG TESTING FOR MARIJUANA...
Do You Really Want To Know?
Positive
tests for marijuana in employment drug
screening jumped 6.2% nationally from
2012 to 2013, according to a recent study from Quest Diagnostics.
Most employer drug testing programs provide for, among other
things, random testing for the presence of marijuana in an
employee’s system, with many owners and contractors mandating
that such random tests be conducted (or at least provided for).
Employees testing positive for marijuana metabolite generally
are subject to discipline up to and including termination. In
the absence of an owner, contractor or government entity
mandating marijuana testing; however, the question arises: with
the growing national leniency toward legalization of recreational
marijuana use, do employers really want to random drug test
their employees?
An employee could test positive for
marijuana as a result of a vacation
to Colorado or Washington, where
recreational use of marijuana is legal.
With such a growing national leniency
towards marijuana use, should an
employer care if the test does not
evidence impairment at work?
8
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
While no one is advocating allowing
marijuana-impaired employees on the job,
urine and blood tests only monitor for the
presence of marijuana metabolite and not
present impairment. Marijuana metabolite
stays in an employee’s system for 3 to 6
weeks after marijuana use. Thus, several
employers have stopped randomly testing
for marijuana (though they continue
STERGIO
to test post-accident and based upon
reasonable suspicion of impairment) based on the fact that an
employee may not be impaired on the job, but may fail a test
anyway as a byproduct of recreational activities. Testing for the
presence of marijuana in any circumstance, however, may open
a Pandora’s Box of unwanted employment issues. For example,
the possibility exists that a positive marijuana test result could
arise from an employee’s proper use of medical marijuana in
one of the jurisdictions in which such medical use is legal. If so,
taking an employment action against such an employee may be
tantamount to a violation of the ADA; the employee may have
been using medical marijuana for the treatment of a protected
condition.
Further, an employee could test positive for marijuana as a result
of a vacation to Colorado or Washington, where recreational
use of marijuana is legal. With such a growing national leniency
www.buildhoustononline.com
Drug Testing | LEGAL NEWS
towards marijuana use, should an employer care if the test does
not evidence impairment at work?
WHEN SERVICE
M A T T E R S
If a reliable employee tests positive for marijuana, an employer
with such knowledge might feel compelled to take some action
against the employee regardless of their stellar on-the-job
performance. This is becoming an issue in a market where skilled,
qualified workers are scarce. Employers may want to think twice
about adopting screening methods that could exclude workers
for activity that does not affect job performance, and further, a
positive test result could open up an unwarranted ADA issue or
force an employer into following inconsistent policies.
Exceptional Service,
Exceptionally Maintained Machines
4823-1653-1742, v. 1
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Article was written by Anthony G. Stergio with assistance from Drew Erickson.
Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal
Specialization, Anthony G. “Tony” Stergio has extensive experience in the
defense of State and Federal employment discrimination claims, wage and
hour compliance, noncompetition agreements and employment policy design
and review. He speaks frequently at employment-related seminars and also
counsels clients regarding developments in various areas of State and Federal
employment law.
Here at Scott-Macon Equipment, we go to great lengths
to ensure that our cranes and our service are exceptional.
Whether you are looking to purchase or rent one of our
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Phone: (713) 721-7070
WWW.SMEQUIPMENT.COM
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Scott-Macon Equipment
14925 South Main St.
Houston, TX 77035
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Autodesk 2015
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www.buildhoustononline.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
9
Why Strategy Matters
In The Oil and Gas Industry
What
separates great companies that can consistently
achieve high performance over a long period
of time from those that rise and fall year to year? One thing is
the depth of thinking company leaders put into planning for the
future of their company. A company’s strategy is the collection
of decisions that are made about how the company vision will
be achieved over the long term. It includes answers to a few
very basic questions. Among them are where the company will
compete (geography, business segments, client types, etc.) and
how it will compete (services, scopes, differentiators, etc.). If
company leaders can gain clarity on these two questions and use
them as guidelines in all other business decisions, the company
will be able to consistently outperform its competitors.
Simply defined, strategy is the decision about where to allocate
scarce resources within your company. It includes decisions such
as how much corporate profit to invest in employee bonuses,
levels of investment in project controls systems, purchases of
equipment, hiring of business development staff, opening branch
offices, etc. All of these decisions are about levels of investment
in the company. It is very difficult (and not terribly effective) to
address them individually. However, if most leaders don’t have
the luxury of sitting down and evaluating the pros and cons of all
these decisions together at one time. Having a corporate strategy
in place serves as a guide for company leaders when making
these decisions. In essence, it changes the question from “Should
the company invest in this job costing software?” to “Does the
recommended investment in job costing software advance the
company toward the strategy to pursue XYZ market?”
It should be a relatively simple exercise to answer the “Where”
and “How” questions for a company’s current strategy:
Where does the company compete?
• In what areas will the company pursue work and where will
it not? (Examples might be Gulf Coast states, Appalachia,
midcontinent, anywhere, etc.)
10
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
• What lines of work will the company
pursue?
(compressor
stations,
metering stations, transmission
pipelines,
gathering
systems,
miscellaneous gases, all of the above,
etc.)
• What client types does the company
prefer?
(nationals,
regionals,
those with high prequalifications,
those with unsophisticated project
management systems, etc.)
DUNCAN
How do we compete?
• What services or scopes will the company deliver?
(engineering, civil construction, data gathering and
management, etc.)
• How will the company be different? (strong balance sheet,
duplicate resources that can mobilize quickly, deep project
controls experience, great relationships, low cost, etc.)
But having clarity around these points is just the first step. The
next step is to describe where and how the company will compete
in the future and the gaps between today’s company and that
future company. In essence, company leaders should develop a
deliberate view of how they envision the company evolving over
time and what it will take to get there. Some of the key inputs into
both the definition of the future company and the gap assessment
should be derived from research into where the market is growing
and buying trends. It should also include an objective assessment
of how current and prospective customers perceive the company’s
capabilities. For instance, do customers consider the company
capable of handling large projects, or have they pigeonholed it
for smaller work? Is the company a preferred supplier? Is the
market shifting toward limited, prequalified selection processes
for certain types of work? If so, which companies will have an
advantage?
www.buildhoustononline.com
Oil & Gas Strategy | INDUSTRY NEWS
Armed with this information, company leaders are then prepared
to document what the company will look like in the future and the
steps it will take to get there. That document (the strategic plan)
is the detailed road map everyone in your company will follow.
From that, decisions about whether to invest in field management
training, new equipment, building customer relationships, bidding
on an upcoming project, opening new offices, etc., become
considerably clearer.
To learn more about developing a comprehensive business
strategy and strategic plan, visit http://www.fmiquarterly.com/
category/strategy/. All articles are available free for download.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Based in Houston, Scott Duncan is a vice president with FMI Capital Advisors,
Inc., FMI Corporation’s registered Investment Banking subsidiary. He works with
construction industry firms on mergers and acquisitions, valuations and ownership
transfer issues. He may be reached by calling 303.398.7250 or via email at
sduncan@fminet.com.
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Join our Facebook
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Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
11
Keep A Close Eye On These
Affordable Care Act Issues
With
the Affordable Care Act’s new reporting
requirements fast approaching, employers and
their benefit advisers need more than ever to keep abreast of
what’s happening with the ever-changing health care reform
law. Here are five ACA issues the national law firm Epstein Becker
Green says employers need to be following:
ACA Related Litigation
Several pending court cases could have a huge impact on employer
responsibility under the ACA, including dueling decisions by
federal courts about whether employers in states with federally
facilitated exchanges would be liable for penalties if an employee
receives a subsidy. While employers and their advisers should be
watching the cases closely, employers are advised to continue with
their employer mandate plans until the courts rule definitively.
Employer Mandate Reporting
In August, the IRS released draft forms and instructions related to
the reporting requirements under Sections 6055 and 6056 of the
Internal Revenue Code. Beginning in 2016, employers that sponsor
fully insured or self-insured group health plans are required to
report information to the IRS about the health coverage provided
during the prior calendar year (2015).
The reporting is meant to assist the federal government in
enforcing compliance with both the employer and individual
mandates and, in turn, in administering the premium tax credit
and cost-sharing subsidy eligibility and payments through the
exchanges. Finalized forms are forthcoming, but employers and
their advisers can use the drafts to begin taking steps to ensure
compliance with the law.
12
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
Section 510 Liability
ERISA Section 510 is an antiabuse provision enacted to
prevent unscrupulous employers
from discharging or interfering
with their employees’ rights
to benefits. In the wake of
CHRIST
the Affordable Care Act, some
TAYLOR
plaintiffs’ attorneys will likely
INSURANCE
use Section 510 as an avenue
for suing employers that have reduced hours to limit exposure
to employer mandate liability. Employers that are planning on
reducing employee hours should do so in a way that limits their
exposure to Section 510 claims. In addition, employers may
consider grandfathering employees that previously worked
30 or more hours a week. Employers should also ensure their
employment agreements are modified to notify employees who
are not benefits-eligible of their status.
Alternatives to Traditional Plan Offerings
The employer mandate, for some, will dramatically increase the
number of employees eligible for employer-sponsored coverage;
and the cost of providing coverage to additional employees has
led some employers and their advisers to look for alternatives
to traditional plan offerings. While there are legitimate ways
to lower costs, there are an increasing number of plan designs
and schemes that could expose employers to liability, including
employer payment plans, drug importation programs, incentive
schemes and employee classification schemes. Use caution
because if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
www.buildhoustononline.com
ACA Issues | FINANCIAL NEWS
The Looming Cadillac Tax
Beginning in 2018, employer-sponsored group health plans will
be subject to a 40 percent non-deductible excise tax on the dollar
amount of coverage that exceeds certain specified thresholds.
This looming concern is accelerating an already strong trend
toward having workers foot a greater share of their overall healthcare costs in the forms of higher deductibles, copayments and
coinsurance charges – whose dollar amounts are not factored in
when calculating the tax.
Employers and their advisers must take action now to restructure
their health coverage offerings to avoid the tax. In addition to
changing benefit design, many employers have implemented
population health management techniques, such as wellness
programs, telemedicine services and giving employees incentives
to go to certain medical providers to improve the health of their
population, which will, in turn, help control their premium costs
and lower exposure to the Cadillac Tax.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christ Taylor Insurance is an Employee Benefits and Insurance Brokerage firm
doing business for over 50 years in southeast Texas, and long-time ABC member.
We provide solutions to small and medium size companies in the areas of
Healthcare and other Benefit programs, as well as Life Insurance and Retirement
Plans. Contact the Christ Taylor team at 713-850-7747 or www.christtaylor.com.
IN OUR
PROCESS
IN YOUR PRODUCT.
At Marek, we invest in educating our
employees to improve specialty skills and
foster long-term careers. The result is
a dedicated team of craft professionals
with the experience and expertise to
provide you what matters most — quality
construction on time and on budget.
Because we’re devoted to developing
a highly skilled workforce, our process
always leads to a strong final product.
With Marek, it’s more than the strength
in our workforce — it’s about giving your
project strength from within.
COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
Framing | Drywall | Ceilings | Acoustical Solutions | Flooring
Painting & Wall Textures | Fabric Panels | Specialty Trims | Window Treatments
713.681.2626 | marekbros.com
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Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
13
14
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
www.buildhoustononline.com
United Electrical & Instrumentation | COVER STORY
A History of Proven Performance
The
Infinity Group is a third generation, family-owned
alliance of four separate entities that provide
construction services ranging from groundbreaking to startup, as
well as ongoing maintenance services. The family-owned business
began in the 1940’s and has been led by the third generation since
2003.
Our management and key personnel bring years of experience
to the areas of construction management and execution,
environmental health and safety and craft workforce development.
The team successfully executes chemical and refining projects, as
well as provides ongoing maintenance and turnaround services.
United Electrical & Instrumentation, (UEI) – a merit shop company
in operation since 1980 – provides electrical, instrumentation, air
conditioning refrigeration services, as well as crane and elevator
inspection and maintenance services to the industrial market.
The goal of our organization is to provide an unmatched level
of professional service at a competitive price, using only highly
skilled technicians to complete your projects on-time and to
ensure complete customer satisfaction.
Electrical Power Systems
UEI performs a wide variety of services on electrical power systems
ranging from 120 V Lighting to 15 kV Power Distribution Systems.
These services include but are not limited to: low, medium
and high voltage switchgear installations, cable terminations,
cable tray installations, ground grid testing, troubleshooting of
electrical systems, control wiring and panel construction, cable
pulls, transformer services and pole line construction. With more
than 34 years in the business, UEI combines our safety processes,
quality management systems, equipment fleet and skilled
craftsman/supervision to ensure we provide the best service
available to our clients.
Instrumentation
UEI provides a group of specialized Instrumentation Technicians
with years of experience working in the refinery and chemical
industries. We perform Control System Installations, which include
Honeywell, Fisher Provox, Texas Instruments, Allen Bradley,
Modicon, Foxboro and Rosemount Equipment. In addition, we
offer startup and commissioning services that include but are not
limited to SIS systems, function testing, verifying communication
www.buildhoustononline.com
UEI electrician working on a 5 kV transformer in a petrochemical facility.
on devices, building packages for systems with turnover to the
client once the system has been installed, calibrated, function
checked and loops completed as a sold device. We stay in
constant contact with our clients to ensure a quality job has been
performed and to enable a smooth transition during startup.
Crane and Elevator
In 1987, we formed a department to provide installation, repair,
maintenance and inspections of elevators, cranes and hoists. A
computerized parts inventory system provides job schedules
and printouts for our customers. A preventative maintenance
quarterly inspection scheduling system is also available to reduce
unscheduled (emergency) jobs. On staff is a state certified Quality
Elevator Inspector.
HVAC and Specialty Sheet Metal Fabrication
A fully equipped sheet metal shop supports HVAC work with
capabilities for fabricating galvanized, stainless steel, and
aluminum up to 1/4” thick. Our capabilities also include welding
and brazing duct work of all size square, rectangular, round and
spiral pipe.
We own and maintain the majority of our equipment, allowing
us to offer substantially lower rates on services and equipment
rentals, such as portable air conditioners or chillers, and portable
temperature and moisture control generators.
Firmly in place are quality-driven processes such as project
scheduling, performance tracking, cost reporting and cost
analysis. Added together, these ingredients make UEI the best
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Please visit us online at www.ueiltd.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
15
What Time Is It?
This
year has rapidly flashed by. Is it me or does time
pass faster as you age? My involvement with
Associated Builders and Contractors is now in the fourth decade
beginning in the 80’s when I was safety committee chairman and
began teaching safety courses for members. Do you remember
the original ABC office located in the Houston Ship Channel area
in an old Howard Hughes complex? Not far from that office was
the Houston Country Club that Howard frequented. Today the
course is known as Gus Wortham Golf Course and is owned and
managed by the City of Houston. ABC has grown up and moved
on. Congratulations for the forward look. Had we stayed in that
old part of Houston, we’d now have cobwebs over our sign out
front.
Who’s Keeping Time?
I often compare ABC with what’s happening in the construction
industry. ABC is rocking. Construction is rocking. From residential
to high rise buildings, to office complexes, to upstream, midstream
and downstream oil production, it’s the glory land for contractors.
Nearly any person these days who wants to work can find a job in
construction. That’s not to say that ‘any’ person or ‘every’ person
is qualified, it’s just that construction offers many the opportunity
for employment. In 1990 the Construction and Maintenance
Education Foundation (CMEF) Board of Directors was attempting
to assist the industry with attaining sufficient numbers of qualified
workers. We called our plan Workforce 2000. Of course, by 2000,
we had not maintained our goals because we didn’t anticipate the
continuous needs of construction.
Hour Glass Timer
Often the progress in construction is viewed from an hour glass, or
in some types of construction, maybe a sun dial-like when will this
freeway be completed? In comparing progress, I’m often asked
16
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
to give a summary of what’s happening in
the world of safety. From an observer’s
position, safety in our localized world is
doing well. However, if a company or a
project has an incidence rate with anything
other than zero, our task is incomplete.
There are many who say that if we’re going
to be in the construction business, we just
GHORMLEY
have to know that injuries happen. I say
‘no’ to that. Injuries don’t just happen,
they all have a cause; and since they all have a cause, they can be
prevented.
In my safety seminars, a question is asked: “Have you ever been
part of a team investigating an injury?” Most will answer “Yes”.
Then I say: “What were you looking for?” Someone will usually
say: “We were looking for the root cause.” I would say: “That’s
the correct answer, and if you were looking for a cause, you have
proven that injuries are preventable. Because, if you can find a
cause, then by removing that cause, the injury would have been
prevented.”
Timex or Rolex?
What’s the difference if the watch keeps time? Some may say it
is the style or the look, or maybe it’s the quality. By any watch or
clock you use, the time is always right to prevent injuries. Since
injuries have causes, they surely are preventable. So, why do
we still have injuries at worksites? For an answer, we need to
look at the leaders. From my experience in construction, leaders
get what they want. If a leader wants to save money, all he/
she has to do is eliminate cost, reduce processes, avoid adding
value, rush the work and don’t worry what the customer thinks
or how many people are harmed during the ‘savings’ process. If,
www.buildhoustononline.com
What Time Is It? | SAFETY NEWS
by chance, the same leader wants to get
a great return on the investment, do just
the opposite: invest sufficient funds, add
necessary processes, perform the work
productively, consider the customer’s
feelings and always prevent injuries and
preserve lives.
The bottom line is this: Are you using
a Timex and still doing safety like in the
70’s or 80’s? Or could it be that you are
a Rolex person and a zero injury kind of
person? With no disrespect, consider
that companies or projects that have
incidence rates in the 1.0 and above
range, it’s time for a Rolex. One project
leader in one of my seminars stated that
he did not need a good incidence rate to
get work for his company; all he needed
was a low bid. What the leader did not
understand is that a 1.0 IR means that one
person out of every 100 employees in the
company suffered a recordable injury. If
a company has 500 employees, that’s 5
people injured. What if your child worked
there and was one of those injured, would
that make any difference? Of course it
would…or should.
It’s not
about luck
for dn a s s en.c om
Da ll a s • Hous ton • A us t in
You’ve worked hard to build your
business and good reputation in the
construction industry.
Which Is It?
So which timer do you have? The one
that takes a licking (as in injury) and keeps
on ticking or do you prefer the Rolex with
injury to no one? The choice belongs to
the leaders. They get what they want.
Hopefully leaders want employees to go
home the way they came to work. Or, in
the case of a zero injury company, they
want workers to go home better than
they arrived because they were under the
direction of a Rolex leader.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bennett Ghormley has more than 35 years of
experience in safety, training and construction
administration. He is experienced in implementing
safety programs involving commercial, industrial
and municipal industries. Mr. Ghormley has
conducted audits, investigations and inspections in
refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants, for
pipelines, water and waste facilities, manufacturing
plants and fabrication facilities. Mr. Ghormley
has served as an expert witness in litigation cases
and appeared before the Workers’ Compensation
Commission, EEOC, Employment Commission and
civil courts. Contact Mr. Ghormley via email at
bennettghormley@yahoo.com.
www.buildhoustononline.com
Don’t leave them to chance.
BuildHouston-Twothirds.indd 1
7/20/2014 4:27:52 PM
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
17
Guns
Falls
Poison
Cell Phones...
What’s More Deadly?
I
believe in gun ownership. But with the media hijacking every
news program every time a gun is involved in an incident, I
thought I should do some research and get the facts. What ARE
the top causes of deaths in America? We all know OSHA’s Top 4
causes of death for workers: Falls, Electrocution, Struck By, and
Caught In-Between. But what hits everyone? Are guns our most
deadly threat on a daily basis as the news channel would have us
believe?
Falls, the #1 bad boy for OSHA and the
construction industry came in third.
Guns, as a cause of accidental death,
came in a distant fourth.
In researching causes of death in the USA for people 25 years and
older, I found the top 4 causes of death are lifestyle related—
diseases which primarily arise from what you eat, drink, and
think, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Motor Vehicles came in 2nd at 33,000
deaths annually. But a HUGE cause
of these crashes is something that
AMAVI
didn’t exist 50 years ago. The National
Safety Council estimates that over 1.6
MILLION car crashes per year are due to cell phone use. Of these,
more than 400,000 persons are injured and taken to the hospital.
And, as already mentioned, eventually tens of thousands die.
The #5 cause of death is accidents. And within accidents we have
several causes but the Top 4 are1 :
You should know that on a good year, or a bad year, OSHA is only
dealing with 4,000 to 5,000 work-related deaths. It never changes.
1) Poisoning
2) Motor Vehicles
3) Falls
4)Guns
Poisoning as #1 blew me away until I discovered WHAT was
poisoning everyone. Uhhh, Tylenol? Big Pharma? You got it!
Tylenol alone sends more than 100,000 people to the hospital
annually and accounts for over 56,000 emergency room visits due
to acute poisoning. We don’t have room to cover the numbers on
the other pharmaceuticals but suffice to say that these companies
are NOT in the health business.
18
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
Cell phones are vastly increasing the risk of auto-related death.
While, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has some cell
phone laws in place, there are so few specifically dedicated to cell
phones that most people focus on what they CAN do, rather than
what they CAN’T or SHOULDN’T DO.
Here’s the short list of Texas cell phone laws for drivers over 25
years of age:
1)No use while driving if you have had a learner’s permit for
six months or less; or
2)You operate a school bus; or
3)You are driving in a school zone.
www.buildhoustononline.com
What’s More Deadly? | SAFETY NEWS
However, don’t let this short list fool you. Texas has its own
version of OSHA’s General Duty Clause. OSHA’s clause says
(paraphrased) “If there are unsafe acts or conditions occurring
in your workplace for which we do NOT have a regulation, and
you know about it, then you are responsible to correct it.”
Failures to do so result in citations issued under the General
Duty Clause.
The driver equivalent to the General Duty Clause is the
Distracted Driver laws. These vary throughout Texas but the
common thread is “cause a wreck because you were on your
cell phone, and you may get the ticket as a ‘distracted driver’”.
Driver distraction costs the U.S. economy $3.58 billion EACH
MONTH2 in addition to the hundreds of thousands of injuries.
As a result, many employers are implementing cell phone bans
while driving.
Clearly, YOU are in control of the most deadly hazard you face
on a daily basis. It’s not guns—as the liberals would tell you. It’s
not falls, as OSHA would tell you. It’s your cell phone. So, even
if there is NO law against texting outside a school zone, use your
brain, not your phone. TEXTED, DROVE, & CRASHED is NOT a
good epitaph.
1
Centers For Disease Control
2
Harvard Center for Risk Analysis Study
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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and means have been ranked #1 in the world for
managing contractor safety. The TCA Safety System®
is peer acknowledged as a method based upon TCA’s
own trade secrets which get better results than
traditional safety methods and, therefore, saves
lives. Ms. Amavi has been named one of Houston’s
50 Most Influential Women by Houston Woman
magazine, and has also been named one of the
Who’s Who in Safety by Compliance Magazine. Ms.
Amavi is a sought after public speaker, has appeared
on local & national radio and television programs
including five appearances on The BusinessMakers,
a radio show hosted by John Beddow & Russ Capper.
Ms. Amavi may be contacted at tara.amavi@
tcamembers.com or 713.263.7661.
www.buildhoustononline.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
19
Turner Industries Hosts Turner High School:
A Winning Combination of
Industry Supporting Education
Twenty-five
Turner High School
The students assembled together in a
welding
students
training room to listen to the importance
accompanied by their teacher, Patricia Hayes, toured a Turner
of safety, proper work place attire, and
Industries Pipe Fabrication shop in Pasadena. Carla Thompson,
received personal protective equipment
Workforce Development Coordinator for Turner Industries Group,
prior to touring the fabrication shops.
LLC, arranged for the field trip for these Pearland ISD students.
Brian Daigle, Vice President of Fabrication,
As an Associated Builders and Contractors Construction Careers
spoke to the group about the workforce
Youth Committee (CCYC) member, Carla is helping the committee
needs of the construction industry and
meet its mission to promote and support Construction Industry
specific workforce needs at the Turner Industries Pipe Fabrication
workforce education at public schools through such activities as
site. Additionally, Brian spoke about the different craft positions,
field trips and making guest speaker presentations to schools.
pay scales, educational requirements, work ethics, workplace
The students assembled together in a
training room to listen to the importance
of safety, proper work place attire, and
received personal protective equipment
prior to touring the fabrication shops.
Brian Daigle, Vice President of Fabrication,
spoke to the group about the workforce
needs of the construction industry and
specific workforce needs at the Turner
Industries Pipe Fabrication site.
20
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
HORTON
attitude, safety, work schedules including multiple shifts,
fabrication shop operational hours, career advancement, and
some of the differences in working at a job site versus a fabrication
shop.
Jill Hill, HR Manager, Fabrication Division, reinforced
Brian’s presentation by addressing Human Resources issues
such as employee benefits, various pay scales, pre-employment
requirements, drug testing, new employee probation period,
various career options, communication skills, and safety.
The students toured different operational stages at each building
and observed how the employees safely performed tasks such
www.buildhoustononline.com
Industry Supporting Education | ASSOCIATION NEWS
as lay out work, grinding, rigging, flame
cutting,
tacking,
welding,
Trouble?
material
handling, and more. Touring the buildings
provided the students an opportunity
to see the relevance and work force
applications of the NCCER curriculum
they are studying.
After the tour, the students reassembled
for a question and answer session where
the students were fully engaged with
these industry representatives by asking
numerous questions. The students were
provided a new perspective on working in
the construction industry and expressed
their appreciation for the opportunity to
tour the pipe fabrication shops. I, too,
Let us help you get off the hook.
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want to express my appreciation and
thanks to Carla Thompson, Brian Daigle,
Jill Hill, and Turner Industries Group,
We’ve built our reputation by getting into trouble.
LLC, for making the field trip experience
possible for the Turner High School
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welding students and their teacher.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Steven F. Horton, Ed.D., serves as the Schools
Program Director for the Construction and
Maintenance Education Foundation with a primary
focus on creating an employment growth by
promoting the Construction Industry as a career
choice to students in local high schools. As a former
State Board Member for the Texas Association of
College Technical Educators, Dean of Technical
Education, and department chair/faculty member,
Dr. Horton spent nearly 40 years at the community
college level providing supervision, support, and
administrative leadership in the development,
implementation, and evaluation of technical
education programs, courses, and facilities to meet
the career and educational goals of students in
workforce education.
Celebrating 25 years
Cokinos, Bosien & Young would like to thank the many clients, friends
and supporters that have helped us grow into a full service law firm with
clients throughout Texas, the United States and internationally. We could
not have done it without you, and we look forward to the next 25 years!
FOUR HOUSTON CENTER • 1221 LAMAR STREET • 16th Floor • HOUSTON, TX 77010 • Tel: 713-535-5500
www.cbylaw.com
HOUSTON
www.buildhoustononline.com
•
DALLAS /FT. WORTH
•
SAN ANTONIO
•
AUSTIN
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
21
National Economy Reg
The
U.S. economy finished last year with a bit of a
bang, expanding at a 3 percent annualized clip
during the final six months. However, a disproportionate share
of that growth was prompted by significant inventory building
during the third quarter of 2013. That set the economy up
for an early-2014 swoon, which was exacerbated by an awful
and seemingly endless winter. According to the final estimate
from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. economy
contracted 2.1 percent during the year’s initial quarter.
The national economy came racing back as the final snows
melted and expanded business investment came with it.
Construction projects that were delayed by the harsh winter
are now underway, auto sales are surging, the economy
supports more than 2.5 million more jobs than it did a year
ago, and for the first time in six years, unemployment has
fallen below 6 percent. Even the quality of jobs being added
seems to have improved of late, with more middle-income
jobs being produced in construction, manufacturing, energy,
professional services and IT.
After shrinking during the first quarter, the U.S. economy
bounced back with a robust 4.6 percent annualized
performance during the second quarter and stakeholders can
expect around 3 percent growth for the latter half of 2014.
The most recent International Monetary Fund upgraded its
projection for the U.S. from 1.7-2.2 percent overall growth for
the year 2014.
Consumers continue to ramp up outlays, with specific
emphasis on autos, Internet shopping, travel, and home
improvement. The retail sales began to trend higher as early
as March and the recent acceleration of job growth should
keep consumers going. Consumer confidence has also been
on the rise of late with the Conference Board’s Consumer
Confidence Index attaining a seven-year high of 90.3 in July.
Consumers have reason for optimism. As of this writing, the
nation has added 2.635 million jobs over the past 12 months
(Continued on page 24)
22
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
www.buildhoustononline.com
gains its Footing
www.buildhoustononline.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
23
companies that depend heavily upon exports,
but will also help keep inflation manageable
and serves to support consumer spending
on imports. Faster job growth also will
support consumer spending; however, export
growth will remain underwhelming, with the
possible exception of energy products. The federal
government is likely to continue to represent a drag
on growth, though the recent turmoil in the Middle
East will likely accelerate defense outlays at some point.
There is already some anecdotal evidence suggesting that
this is happening.
for which data exist (through September 2014)—well over
200,000 jobs/month. Of that total, more than a fourth (713,000)
were in professional and business services. The list of other
rapidly expanding employment sectors includes distribution (e.g.
retail trade, wholesale trade), health services, and leisure and
hospitality.
Nonresidential construction spending shrank 1.2 percent on a
monthly basis in August; however, the monthly decline is not
cause for significant concern, as the level of spending remains 6
percent above that of August 2013. The harsh winter postponed
a large volume of construction during the year’s initial quarter,
and a portion of that construction took place in April and May,
inflating those months’ spending numbers. While this has made
subsequent months appear disappointing on a month-to-month
basis, year-over-year spending continues to reflect moderate and
ongoing recovery.
What does all of this mean? Associated Builders and Contractors
(ABC) believes that the U.S. economy is approaching the peak of
its business cycle. We are now in a period where the economy is
gaining momentum while the Federal Reserve acts as if that’s not
occurring (true, QE3 is almost over, but short-term rates are not
expected to rise until well into 2015).
Many companies have managed to grow profits in recent years
through aggressive cost-cutting measures. That can only continue
for so long, even in the presence of a more active mergers and
acquisitions market (M&A). To grow earnings, businesses will
increasingly have to bulk up top-line revenues, which implies
faster capital spending and inventory accumulation.
Profitability coupled with accommodative Federal Reserve policy
and a surging M&A market should keep enough bulls running
on Wall Street once the market fully shakes off recent jitters. A
rising U.S. dollar could hamper the share price appreciation of
24
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
Don’t Mess with Texas
Why would one mess with Texas – it’s working. As the nation’s
leading producer of both oil and natural gas, Texas is better
positioned than any large U.S. state to expand economically,
producing substantial opportunities for contractors in the
process. Approximately 48 percent of the nation’s oil and gas
rigs are in the Lone Star State and Texas easily leads the nation
in total energy production, solar and wind energy potential, and
biodiesel production capacity. Texas also is the leading producer
of electricity. At the start of 2013, Texas’ 27 petroleum refineries
were associated with a daily capacity exceeding 5.1 million
barrels of crude oil, approximately 29 percent of the nation’s total
capacity.
Despite a surging population largely comprised of jobseekers—
the state’s labor force has expanded by more than 170,000 over
the past 12 months), the state’s unemployment rate stands at 5.2
percent at the time of this writing, 0.7 percentage points below
the national average. The statewide unemployment rate has
declined by more than a full percentage point since September
2013. The number of construction jobs is up by 5.2 percent
over the past year and Texas continues to be a leading state in
terms of construction employment creation in both absolute and
percentage terms.
While Houston, Dallas and Austin are among the nation’s standout
metropolitan areas in terms of the rate of economic expansion, the
Texas miracle is hardly confined to these communities. In fact, all
Houston’s regional unemployment
rate stood at 4.9 percent in September
2014, the second lowest unemployment
rate among the nation’s 20 largest
metropolitan areas. Only Minneapolis
has a lower rate of unemployment,
which is at least partially explained by
the fact that people generally do not
flock in large numbers toward brutally
cold temperatures, generally rendering
Minneapolis’ labor growth slower.
www.buildhoustononline.com
Construction Outlook | FOCUS SECTION
25 of the state’s statistical areas added jobs between September
2013 and September 2014. Only three of the state’s metropolitan
areas are presently associated with unemployment rates above
the national average (McAllen, Brownsville, and El Paso).
That said, Houston is unquestionably at the head of the class.
The region’s labor force expanded by nearly 75,000 people over
a recent 12-month period, which translates into 2.4 percent
growth. That compares to 1.3 percent labor force growth
statewide and 0.3 percent nationally. It’s important to note that
labor force growth eventually translates into both residential
and nonresidential construction, which is precisely what is being
observed in the Houston metropolitan area. During the same
12 months, regional employment expanded 3.7 percent, which
means that despite the surge in the size of the labor force, the
number of unemployed persons in the Houston metropolitan area
has declined by 17.4 percent over the past year. The 3.7 percent
job growth figure is roughly twice the level of the national rate
of job growth (1.9 percent) and 50 percent above the statewide
employment growth rate of 2.4 percent.
Houston’s regional unemployment rate stood at 4.9 percent in
September 2014, the second lowest unemployment rate among
the nation’s 20 largest metropolitan areas. Only Minneapolis
has a lower rate of unemployment, which is at least partially
explained by the fact that people generally do not flock in large
numbers toward brutally cold temperatures, generally rendering
Minneapolis’ labor growth slower.
levels of output are likely to be sustained in
the shale fields of America in 2015.
The U.S. Energy Department recently
reported that only 4 percent of shalederived 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. The
BASU
current production of 8.7 million barrels a
day, the highest level in nearly a quarter
century, is more than a million barrels a day higher than it was
only a year ago and the Energy Department continues to predict
daily production exceeding 9 million barrels next year.
Moreover, given the outcome of recent mid-term elections,
policymakers may be able to introduce more production and
distribution-friendly legislation going forward. That would be
good for the national economy, the Texas economy, and the
regional construction economy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Anirban Basu was named Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) chief
economist in February 2008. His primary responsibility is to provide ABC with
timely, comprehensive analyses of important trends in the U.S. commercial and
industrial construction industry. Basu produces ABC’s electronic economic news
report, Construction Economic Update, which includes an analysis of the following
federal government economic indicators upon their release: construction
spending, employment, producer price index and gross domestic product.
Construction employment is perhaps the most remarkable number
related to construction employment growth in the Houston
metropolitan area. Over the past 12 months, construction
employment expanded 7.1 percent. This compares to roughly 5
percent growth statewide and 4 percent growth nationally.
Demand for industrial construction in Houston is simply surging.
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 percent. Over the first three
quarters of 2014, net absorption exceeded 5.8 million square feet
and currently more than 6 million square feet of industrial space
is under construction in the region. Beyond energy production is
Houston’s expanding role as a center for throughput as more steel
was shipped through the Port of Houston Authority in July 2014
than in any other month since 2008.
Looking Ahead
With oil prices falling recently, it is conceivable that some of the
edge will be taken off the Houston and overall Texas economies in
the near term; however, several government and private reports
indicate 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 modestly.
While lower prices mean that taxes and royalties on oil production
will decline, potentially impacting the finances of oil producing
states like Texas, Alaska, Oklahoma and North Dakota, current
www.buildhoustononline.com
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
25
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
KBR Building Group is excited to announce several new additions to
the Houston office: Preconstruction Manager Stephen Herring, Project
Manager Charles Griffiths and Project Engineer Christian Staples.
GRIFFITHS
STAPLES
HERRING
Gilbane Building Company announces that Project Executive John Abbott
has relocated to Gilbane’s Houston office after 18 successful years at the
company’s Connecticut location. Abbott has been with Gilbane since
1996 when he joined the Glastonbury, CT office as a Project Engineer.
Thad Miner has been hired to join the Gilbane’s Houston-based office as
a Senior Project Executive for the Southwest business unit. Miner began
his career in the commercial construction industry in 1982 and brings
over 30 years of experience with him to Gilbane.
Ross Winkler has joined Winkler Public Relations as Manager,
Marketing Strategy. He will expand marketing and customer relations
services offered by Winkler Public Relations and assist with design,
implementation and management of strategic marketing plans. Winkler
will also manage business development to continue to grow clientele for
the Houston-based public relations company.
ABBOTT
HILL
MARTIN
MINER
GALVAN
WINKLER
SUNDBERG
LONE STAR ROAD CONSTRUCTION
C O M I N G S O O N AT A B C / C M E F
Dec 11: PAC Christmas Party
Dec 17: Collecting on Construction Work Seminar
Jan 6: OSHA 510
Jan 7: Commercial Blueprint Bootcamp
Jan 8: Leadership Forum Begins
Jan 13: OSHA 500
Jan 22: ABC/CMEF Inaugural Dinner
Jan 27: OSHA 511
Feb 9-10: Legislative Day in Austin
VISIT WWW.ABCHOUSTON.ORG TO LEARN MORE
26
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
NAH Sports Flooring LLC in Houston is pleased to announce the
appointment of Reggie Hill as Vice President and General Manager of all
Texas operations. Reggie’s first encounter with the sports flooring business
was serving as a regional manager for Poloplaz Inc,. a manufacturer of
specialty coatings for sport and recreational wood surfaces. NAH also
named Jose Galvan as Athletic Floor Operations Manager for the Texas
operation. Jose has worked for the company in various disciplines and
has proven himself to be a worthy candidate for this important role.
Scott Sundberg has joined Mobley Industrial Services, Inc. as Senior
Account Manager. Sundberg has extensive managerial experience and
qualifications in the Petrochemical, Pulp & Paper & Power Generation
industry. He is also trained in Six Sigma, Deal Maker and Professional
Speaking; with ability to develop positive results through team work
& strong customer relations. Jereme Martin has also joined Mobley
Industrial Services as Senior Project Manager. He has over 10 years
experience in general construction and soft craft services.
Oxford Builders Inc. is pleased to announce their first ten year anniversary
employees. Ivan Gonzalez is Oxford Builders General Foreman in charge
of Door and Hardware installation and Roberto Benitez is Oxford Builders
General Foreman in charge of Wood installation and Framing. These
two highly trained professional craftsmen have been working at Oxford
Builders for ten years.
PROJECT NEWS
The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) contracted Lone Star
Road Construction LTD. to construct the final phase of the Multiple Level
Super Elevated intersection of Interstate Highway 10 and State Highway
99, one of the largest intersections in the State of Texas on one of the
busiest roadways in the country. The project consisted of a web of
overlapping bridges that connected the two highways.
E.E. Reed Construction recently completed Silver Eagle Distributors East,
which includes a one-story, tilt-wall distribution center with a 307,000
square foot controlled environment warehouse, 70,000 square foot
office including all related interior improvements, 20,000 square foot
maintenance/fleet building and 7,400 square foot truck wash/fueling
building, in Pasadena.
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People, Projects, Companies & Awards | IN THE KNOW
July marked the topping out on One Lake’s Edge, built by Hoar Construction. The 8-story mid-rise
upscale apartment building sits within the 66-acre Hughes Landing development in The Woodlands, by
The Howard Hughes Corporation. One Lake’s Edge has a prime location on Lake Woodlands and will offer
390 residential units with retail space on the first floor.
Satterfield & Pontikes Construction recently completed construction of the new Micro Center electronics
store at 5305 S. Rice Avenue in the Galleria/Bellaire area. The new 32,000-square-foot store replaces its
previous 610 West Loop store near San Felipe. The $6 million project was constructed on a 3.5-acre site
and is part of a larger retail development.
Real estate development firm Kopke & Marek Investments broke ground September 2, 2014 on a new
multi-tenant office and warehouse project in Conroe, Texas. The project targets industrial growth and
commercial real estate investment in the North Harris and Montgomery County corridor. The multitenant facility consists of more than 19,000 square feet of flex use warehouse space that will be ready
for occupancy February 1, 2015.
BIGenterprise’s “West Wing” project is the first of its kind to be erected in the United States using a
Cross Laminated Timber (CLR) System for load bearing wall panels and floor planks all manufactured
from engineered wood. The project is built around a steel structure that includes two massive steel rigid
frames with cantilever backspans to support the main roof. The final building design will incorporate
many elements which are patterned after the U.S. White House including a garage, residential and office
work space, recreational and meeting rooms as well as its own “oval office”.
Currently under construction and going vertical- this unique 5-story timeshare building, located on the
beach of Galveston Island, is supported structurally by heavy gauge metal studs with each concrete
floor poured on the supporting metal framed walls and floor joist. EFIS and stucco finish highlight the
exterior and gypsum wallboard on the interior. This economic and efficient package is subcontracted by
Schear Hampton Drywall LLC and other local subcontractors expediting the building construction for
T&G Constructors. It is the 3rd project T&G has completed for Silverleaf Resorts and CB Richard Ellisowner representative.
E.E. REED CONSTRUCTION
HOAR CONSTRUCTION
SATTERFIELD & PONTIKES
T&T Construction has partnered up with Gallery Furniture to bring their third and largest location to Fort
Bend County. The future 165,000-square-foot furniture store is located off the Grand Parkway. The new
store will include a first class restaurant, play area, an animal habitat and other amenities to enhance
the furniture buying experience. Since May, T&T has been working on the earthwork, storm, utilities,
building foundation and the site paving for the project.
Epoch Construction Services is proud to announce the completion of the Preston Hollow Emergency
Room which is an upscale 8,000 square foot design build Retro-fit/Remodel located in Dallas, Texas. By
using the existing buildings foundation the environmental impact was minimized without sacrificing any
of the exterior finishes. All exterior and interior work was new, including new fire suppression system,
reflective metal wall paneling, and fluid applied cool roof system.
BIG ENTERPRISE
COMPANY NEWS
September 1st 2014 marked a huge accomplishment for Karsten Interior Services, celebrating an
anniversary of 18 years in the construction industry and reaching 1.6 Million Man Hours without a Lost
Time Incident.
SPECIAL AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Aggregate Technologies Inc. is proud to announce that the Mickey Leland Federal Building Renovation
project has won the 2014 ABC Houston Chapter ICE Award for excellence in construction in the category
Other Specialty Construction (Commercial). This prestigious award recognizes projects which exemplify
innovative design, precise craftsmanship, superior safety
practices, and many other considerations.
Mobil Steel International recently made a contribution of
$1,000 to the ABC Scholarship Foundation in memory of
Senior Vice President, Mr. Richard W. Friel. Mr. Friel was
a member of ABC and a loyal PAC supporter. He lost his
battle with Glioblastoma Mutliforma on 07/07/13. Mobil
Steel also made a $1,000 donation to MD Anderson Glioblastoma Multiforma Research in 2013 and 2014.
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EPOCH CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
SCHEAR HAMPTON DRYWALL
T&T CONSTRUCTION
Build Houston Magazine • December / January 2015
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