"TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD..."
As part of our new Operations Team Meeting format, we are asking regions and departments to report something good they have seen recently happening within BC. We will take the top four each month and distribute them through email to the entire BC List. The idea is to share best practices and celebrate “quick wins” from around the company. Below are the first three months of “Tell me something good…”
If anyone has an example of something good happening on your job site, or within your department, please share with me, Kevin Byrd, or one of the members of the Ops Team (pictures appreciated if possible). The new Ops Team members are:
- Kevin Byrd
- Randall Jay
- Sean Stevens
- James Caraway
- Marc Hibner
- Mark Hebert
- Chad Wernert
- Jason Atherton
- Trent Bales
- Omar Land
- Danny Rothe
- Rob Havins
- Laura Malek
- Aaron Lacey
- Jeremy Smart
- Andrew Nielson
- Jimmy Worswick
"Safety is not an every now and then thing, it’s an all-the-time thing. By keeping workers safe and healthy on our job sites and instilling in them a safety-conscious mind we are building better lives for them and those dear to them. What does it mean to be safe? If you break it down to its basic meaning, it means to do the right thing every single day with respect to valuing your life and health and those around you. It starts on the drive to work, the preplanning of the day (JHA), the execution of the plan, the adherence to safety rules and common safety practices, to the drive home, and probably most importantly, continuing safe and responsible behaviors at the home.Lastly, why is safety important to me? It’s important to me because I value my life, the lives of my family and friends, and also the lives of total strangers. Being safe and helping others be safe shows you respect yourself and others and value this priceless gift we call life."
— David Haffelder, Safety Director
David Haffelder, Central Texas / North Texas Safety Director
Email: dhaffelder@bartlettcocke.com
Cell: (512) 744-7934
Jimmy Church, East Texas / Industrial Safety Director
Email: jchurch@bartlettcocke.com
Cell: (832) 248-1494
2020 BCGC Safety Manager of the Year
Congratulations to Aaron Knapick, South Texas Safety Manager. David Haffelder and Jeremy Smart presented Aaron with the 2020 Bartlett Cocke Safety Manager of the Year Award.
“I would like to thank Bartlett Cocke for giving me the opportunity to work with all our field personnel, and I would like to thank everyone who voted for me to receive the ‘The Safey Manager of the Year Award’. Thank you!” – Aaron Knapick, Safety Manager
Aaron is absolutely a stand-out safety professional for Bartlett Cocke that brings years of field experience with him in his everyday interactions. Aaron was a union ironworker for over 25 years and was a member of Ironworkers Local 482 of Austin and Ironworkers Local 66 of San Antonio. He spent most of his career erecting steel and setting tilt-wall panels for Patriot Erectors and Pro Steel. Aaron worked throughout the US, specifically in Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Not only that, but he also spent two years assembling and disassembling cranes as an employee for Austin Crane and Rigging. Aaron is currently the designated Assembly/Disassembly Director for Bartlett Cocke’s Link-Belt crane. Aaron’s extensive experience and ability to share his knowledge daily with trade workers while promoting the Bartlett Cocke safety culture makes him the shoo-in for the Safety Manager of the Year award.
2020 Safety Superintendent of the Year
Congratulations to our own Adrian Flores for winning the Safety Superintendent of the Year award at the 2020 San Antonio Chapter of AGC Construction Industry Awards, as well as the 2020 Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Safe Superintendent of the Year award.
“We as a company care about the safety of every man and woman on our job sites, and at the end of the day, just as we want to go home safely and spend time with our families, we want the same for all of the workers on our job sites.” – Adrian Flores, Superintendent
“Adrian Flores is about as safety conscious as they come. He truly cares for the health and welfare of all the employees who work on his projects. Adrian embodies what most Superintendents strive for – he has the innate ability to nurture a positive safety culture with high morale while maintaining a productive project. Adrian has always possessed the moral and intestinal fortitude to do the hard right over the easy wrong. ” – Jeremy Smart, Safety Director
2020 ASA Project Manager of the Year
Congratulations to Russell Harder! The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) has named Russell – Project Manager of the Year for 2020 – as part of their Excellence in Construction Awards.
Russell Harder possesses all of the attributes necessary to be an effective and reliable construction Project Manager – strong communication skills, team leadership capability, time/cost management, comprehensive knowledge of today’s construction technologies, and passion to surpass Owners’ expectations. Russell graduated from Texas A&M with a B.S. in Construction Science and a minor in business. Over the course of his 15+ years with Bartlett Cocke General Contractors, he has established a proven track record of delivering for our clients and is truly a valuable asset to our team. He has completed several projects for local school districts including Northside ISD, Northeast ISD, San Antonio ISD, Alamo Heights ISD, and Boerne ISD. In addition to his K-12 experience, Russell has completed projects for Toyota, South Texas Blood & Tissue, KSAT News, & Wells Fargo.
We would also like to acknowledge all of the hard work put in by the entire project team on the Garner Middle School Additions & Renovations project as it has received the award for Project of the year between $10-$20 Million. Thank you for Making It Happen!
2020 Texas A&M Constructor Hall of Fame Inductee
Congratulations to Marty Garza on becoming a 2020 Constructor Hall of Fame inductee at Texas A&M!
“Marty has given much back to Texas A&M University and our construction industry for many years. He has worked in our industry for nearly 40 years and has worked for the Texas A&M University System with the office of Facilities, Planning, and Construction, helping construct projects on Texas A&M campuses throughout the state.
During his career, he has served on national committees with the AGC of America. Much of his time with the AGC, he worked tirelessly to help raise scholarship money for many students throughout the nation. Marty has also spent a great amount of time serving with the ACCE – American Council for Construction Education. At ACCE, he gave up countless days and weekends to travel around the country to assist in accrediting construction programs. Marty is presently heading up Business Development with our higher education clients. He is an Aggie in the truest sense of the word. He is a positive influence and those around him and is just a great Christian man.”
– Jerry Hoog, CEO
BCGC Mentorship Program
I just wanted to send everyone another reminder about Mentoring Program signups for the Second Quarter beginning in April of this year. We rolled out the Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Mentoring Program this January 2021 and what an amazing response we got! We believe the Mentor/Mentee relationship is important for the development of our employees for increased engagement across the company. We would like to ensure that every employee going into the future has an avenue to obtain advice on how to navigate the construction industry. We would also like for some of our seasoned employees to have more opportunities to give back and help guide new employees. Signing up is easy using the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48aca92da3fdc34-bartlett and only takes a second to complete. If you have any questions about the Mentoring Program, what to expect, etc. please feel free to reach out and I’ll be more than happy to answer any questions.
We truly believe this is a good opportunity to take advantage of targeted development while progressing towards achieving your career goals.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (512)326-4223 or email me at sgantt@bartlettcocke.com.
Steven Gantt
Talent Acquisition Manager
Below are the Mentors and Mentees who have started the program this April.
"I am really glad that I was given the opportunity to participate in this outstanding program. I’m not sure who gets more out of it, the mentor or the mentee."
- Mike Cooney - Preconstruction Manager
RING THE BELL
PROJECTS WON IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021
Region: South Texas
Owner: Wichita Falls ISD
Project: Wichita Falls ISD Bond Project – 2 New Prototype High Schools
Amount: $220 Million
Contract: CMR
Our South and Central Texas offices are teaming up to continue our presence and commitment to work outside the “kidney bean” for our company. Wichita Falls ISD has awarded BC their single largest contract in our company’s history. Our work consists of building 2 New 366,287 SF High Schools that will be prototype site adapted buildings designed by Huckabee Architects. This will be our first project with Wichita Falls ISD. A major reason we were selected as our competitive fees, strong personnel resumes who committed to working out of town, and our interview presentation which received a standing ovation. These 2 schools will be constructed simultaneously and we are confident in our subcontracting community to commit their resources in bringing both these buildings to completion in the Summer of 2024.
Wichita Falls ISD is going out for a Bond this May to capture funds in the range of 20-25 million dollars to add a football/track stadium, baseball/softball fields, and a tennis complex. BC feels we are well-positioned in procuring this work by continuing our Preconstruction efforts and encouraging Wichita Falls ISD that we are their first choice when it comes to “Building Better Lives."
Region: BC Industrial
Owner: Kuraray
Project: Control Room Renovation
Amount: $700,000
Description: The Industrial Team has been awarded the Kuraray EVOL Control Room Upgrade Project located in Pasadena, Texas. The scope of work includes a full renovation of the operator's area, restrooms, electrical and HVAC systems. The awarded contract amount of $700,000 is not substantial; however, this marks 3 new MSA’s (Master Service Agreement) for the Industrial team in 2020.
Owner: Goose Creek CISD
Project: Early Learning Academy
Amount: $10,000,000
Contract: CMAR
Description: The Early Learning Academy is designed for 3-4-year-old pre-school children. The 49,000 SF new building will include an administration area, classrooms, collaboration areas, restrooms, kitchen area, general support spaces, playground, parking, and on-site detention. The school will feature interactive learning components similar to the Mansfield ISD Academy for Early Learners and the Alief ISD Early Learning Academy, which is currently under construction. All three projects are designed by Huckabee Architects.
This project builds upon our relationship with Goose Creek CISD where we have been continuously working on at least one district campus since 2015.
Region: BC Industrial
Owner: Chevron Phillips – Cedar Bayou
Project: New Firehouse
Amount: $2,284,000.00
Contract – Lump Sum
Description: The new Firehouse is a 10,000 sq ft greenfield project. The new firehouse will service Chevron Phillips Cedar Bayou Plant in Baytown Texas. This award is significant in that it is the Services Team's largest contract to date. We set a focus in 2020 to target and pursue larger projects for the Services Team. This award reflects the hard work and commitment of that focus and their work.
Region: BC Industrial
Owner: Entergy Texas
Project: Beaumont Service Center (Chevyland Site Build)
Amount: $55,000,000
Contract: CMAR
Bartlett Cocke is excited to announce that we’ve been awarded the new service center project for Entergy Texas in Beaumont. Entergy Texas is a publicly-traded company that provides power to residential and business customers in the Southeast Texas region. Entergy also provides energy to customers in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
The campus-style project, the largest of its kind for Entergy, is a consolidation effort of multiple facilities into a single location. The project consists of approximately 38 acres of improvements with a two-story 75k SF concrete tilt-wall administration/office building, a 23k SF concrete tilt-wall distribution warehouse, a 55k SF concrete tilt-wall transmission warehouse, 23k SF of distribution covered area, and 440 parking spaces. The construction schedule is 18 months and is expected to start around June 2021. The design team consists of Houston-based firms LA Architects, Kimley-Horn (civil), Dally + Associates (structural), and Salas O’Brien (MEP).
Region: South Texas
Owner: Sinton ISD
Project: Sinton ISD Bond Project – New High School, New Multi-Purpose Building, Additions & Renovations to Smith Middle School
Amount: $90 Million
Contract: CMR
Our South Texas Office continues to maintain and build on our presence in the Coastal Bend Region. Sinton ISD has awarded BC the majority of their 2020 Bond Initiative. Our work consist of a New 200,000 SF High School Building and New 60,000 SF Multi-Purpose Building at the High School Campus. The existing High School Academic Building and Gymnasium will be demolished once the New High School is completed. We will be adding a new weight addition to the Smith Middle School Campus. This will be our first project with Sinton ISD and Gallagher Construction Services who is the Program Manager for Sinton ISD. A major reason we were selected was our scheduled presentation during the proposal and interview process. Our team developed a schedule to get the multi-purpose building completed in August of 2022 so the fall athletics can take use of the facility. The team also developed a schedule for the New High School to allow move-in during the summer of 2023 in lieu of mid-school year as programmed. Hats off to our VDC department for providing animation to provide a visualization of the project schedule.
Region: South Texas
Owner: University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio
Project: UTHSCSA Park West Medical Office Building
Amount: $44,500,000 (Initial CMBL)
Contract: CMAR
The UT System through UTHSCSA is building a multi-disciplined clinical ambulatory acute care medical office building on the north side of San Antonio on the edge of the UTSA campus along Loop 1604. The project limits are evolving from 3-stories to 4-stories, and possibly now a 5th story penthouse…60K GSF to 80 GSF, and currently 80K plus! The CMBL has grown from $33.8M to $44.5M with a current ROM program budget of $45.3M.
The MOB will have an ambulatory surgical center (outpatient) and imaging suite with 3T MRI, CT Scanner, digital X-rays, and ultrasound. The clinics will consist of orthopedics, gastrointestinal, ear/nose/throat, physical therapy, laboratory testing, Gynecology, ophthalmology, and medical rehabilitation.
Round Rock Early College High School
Region: Central Texas
Owner: Round Rock ISD
Amount: $12 Million
Contract: CMR
BC has been selected by RRISD to build their new Early College High School ground-up facility with O’Connell Robertson as the Architect. The New Early College High School facility for approximately 500 students will be built on the Austin Community College Round Rock Campus. This is the 5th project we will build from RRISD’s 2018 Bond.
TSTC Waco – Various Civil and Ancillary Projects
Region: Central Texas
Owner: Texas State Technical College - Waco
Amount: $11.5 Million
Contract: CMR
BC has been selected as the CMAR for a Major transformation of the TSTC Waco Campus including the Abatement and Demolition of pre-1965 facilities, buildings, structures, infrastructure, and ancillary work projects per a TX Legislative Supplemental Appropriation. While this is the first project we have done on their Waco campus we have been building the relationship with TSTC at the Hutto, Red Oak, and Fort Bend Campuses across the State.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
WE HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMING IDEAS INTO AWARD-WINNING PROJECTS
RBJ Hatchery Phase 2Winner of the 2020 Austin AGC-TBB Outstanding Construction Award!
A principal design concept of RBJ Hatchery was to provide the end-user with all the typical office amenities, while also offering access to the public for various musical performances and gatherings in acoustically isolated, visually appealing spaces. This accessibility, combined with the neighboring hotel and living areas creates an inviting community gathering space that is simultaneously inviting, exciting, and functional. The renovation of the original 1972 Senior Living Tower — its existing 250 units of low-income senior housing will be renovated and then doubled with an additional 250 affordable senior apartments called the Rebekah, after the center’s namesake Rebekah Baines Johnson.
Garner Middle School Additions & RenovationsWinner of the ASA Award for Project of the year between $10-$20 Million!
A continuation of our efforts from the Garner Middle School Phase 3 project, this project provided the following program elements: (1) kitchen and cafeteria with performance stage area; (2) fine arts facilities including band, orchestra, choir, and black box program areas; (3) library and media center; and (4) landscaping, irrigation, drainage, site utilities, and infrastructure improvements to complement the new facility addition. The project included approximately 52,002 square feet of new facilities and 6,723 square feet of selected renovations of existing classroom areas into temporary facilities to support the library, special education, and career and technology program areas.
Comal ISD - Davenport High SchoolWinner of the AGC Outstanding Construction Award for 2020!
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors is honored and proud to have earned the AGC 2020 Outstanding Construction Award for Comal ISD’s Davenport High School (Educational Facilities over $30 M).
Congratulations to our team!
The state-of-the-art design features three large areas in a U-shaped pattern which serve as the education, fine arts, and athletics wings. The largest open area of the center features the Library/Concourse and Cafeteria. The shape of the building required much creativity in order to formulate efficient workflows in order to maintain the schedule and reduce wasted time due to poor logistics.
This beautifully designed high school was delivered in 25 months despite the five months of rain during the beginning of the project and dealing with the pandemic during the last quarter. Not only did the team complete the project on time – they came in three months under schedule and on budget.
Comal ISD is a long-time client of ours, going back almost 15 years. They are a pleasure to work for and we look forward to many more years of service to them.
NEW HIRES FIRST QUARTER OF 2021
SOUTH TEXAS
- Alicia Franco – Lead Estimator (01/04/2021)
- Mason Miller – Estimator (01/04/2021)
- Adam Watts – Assistant Project Manager (02/01/2021)
- Zackary Buck – Assistant Project Manager (02/22/2021)
- Andrew Berg – Equipment Manager (03/08/2021)
CENTRAL TEXAS
- Sterling James – Assistant Superintendent (01/04/2021)
- Aaron Richter – Assistant Project Manager (01/04/2021)
- Casey Morales – Assistant Superintendent (01/18/2021)
- Alexandria Mullen – VDC Manager (02/01/2021)
- Keith Acker – VDC Manager (02/04/2021)
- Adam Garcia – Superintendent (02/15/2021)
- Charles Posey – Superintendent (02/24/2021)
EAST TEXAS
- Eleazar Morales – Carpenter (01/27/2021)
- Zachary Hester – Assistant Superintendent (02/12/2021)
INDUSTRIAL
- Frank Ortiz – Heavy Equipment Operator (02/01/2021)
- Kaleb Graves – Carpenter (02/16/2021)
- Gumaro Salas Munoz – Carpenter (03/04/2021)
PROMOTIONS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021
First of all, we want to thank all of you for all your efforts during these last few months. The world has changed, and our industry is changing as well. While our company has been impacted, we strongly feel that as long as we continue to do the right thing every day, we will continue to be recognized as one of the top general contractors in Texas.
As we continue to look toward the future, we are pleased to announce several promotions within our company:
Carlos Ibarra
Carlos has been promoted from Project Manager to Sr. Project Manager.
Michael Schmidt
Michael has been promoted from APM to Project Manager.
Danielle Flores
Danielle has been promoted from Equipment Coordinator to Equipment Accounts Manager.
Rebecca Griego
We are extremely pleased to announce that Rebecca Griego has transitioned to the new role of Employee Development Specialist in the Human Resources Department. Rebecca will now serve as a full-time resource responsible for employee development, internal marketing and communication, training, employee engagement, and assisting with performance management initiatives across the company. Rebecca will help champion the implementation of our People Strategy to advance us towards our long-term goal (BHAG) by “hiring, developing and retaining passionate, dedicated and skilled people who align with our core values and have an immediate and lasting impact on our vision.” She will be graduating in May with her MS in Leadership & Change from St. Edward’s University and is stationed in the Central Texas Office. Rebecca has a passion and genuine interest in the development and engagement of each employee and is looking forward to working with everyone in her new role. - James Anderson, President
WELCOME COMPASS COMMITTEE COUNSEL
“Our core purpose is to promote collaboration, encourage innovative thinking across all business segments, and improve employee experiences through gathering and networking at social events, learning opportunities, and giving back to our community.”
The Compass Committee Counsel is proud to announce the Bartlett Cocke of the Month award!
This award is designed to recognize junior employees that exemplify our Core Values and consistently go above and beyond! The “Roving Rooster” is meant to be a fun way to acknowledge our new talent and should be hung in the winner’s job trailer with pride! The award will rotate monthly between each of the 3 regions. The current winner has the responsibility of delivering it to the Jobsite of the next recipient; creating a unique bond and chance to meet employees in different regions.
Managers in the perspective region will be sent a link to nominate individuals they believe deserve the recognition. This month, the Bartlett Cocke of the Month award goes to Casey Morales, Assistant Superintendent CTX. Casey joined our multi-family division a few months ago and has already made a positive impact by taking ownership and making it happen! She has a can-do attitude and has quickly become a valued member of our BC family.
SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES
Wedding Bliss!
Adan and Sarina Losoya
February 11, 2021
Wedding Bliss!
Garrett and Audrey Renken
January 16, 2021
Wedding Bliss!
Matt and Kayla Bienek
January 2, 2021
Welcome Baby!
Lillian Mae Johnson
December 30, 2020
Henry and Cassie Johnson
Welcome Baby!
Elizabeth Jane Karm
January 10, 2021
Brandon and Rachel Karm
Welcome Baby!
Hadley Lutz
March 28, 2021
Matt and Christin Lutz
Welcome Baby!
Grant Benson Decker
April 5, 2021
Ben and Cheryl Decker
LUGGAGE FOR LOVE
We would like to give praise to Holly Friesenhahn, who has been collecting luggage for children in the foster system. Holly took the initiative to start collecting small, new suitcases and duffel bags to give the children a better way to hold their belongings and to feel a sense of pride during a difficult time in their lives.
“We were all placed here on earth with a gift whether it be building something with our hands, mentoring, caregiving, etc. As we strive to build better lives, I choose to give back to a specific group in need. Many times foster children arrive at facilities with nothing but the clothes on their back and some carry their belongings in garbage bags. Luggage for Love provides new suitcases for these children from the age of infancy to 18 years of age.”
-Holly Friesenhahn, Project Coordinator
LADIES NIGHT
On Feb. 4, Molly Pitts, Rebecca Griego, Alexandria Mullen, Shelley Porter, Alicia Gantt, and Casey Morales gathered together for the very first of many ‘Ladies Night’. Rebecca Griego, VDC Manager from our Austin office, led the first meeting.
“The goal behind “ladies night” is to create a space where we can gather, grow and support one another as women in construction. Our vision is to meet throughout the year and have one ‘Lady’ lead the night starting with her role in BC and then have an activity that promotes learning and/or team building which helps unify office and field into a blended family! For the first meeting, I thought setting out our intentions for the new year by creating a vision board was a logical and fun way to start! Vision boards combine photos and words that represent your goals and inspire action. The constant visual reminder will help you notice different opportunities for you to make it happen! It is important to take care of our health, families, and jobs, and finding balance can be difficult. By building stronger relationships we are building better lives. And when we win individually, BC wins! And when BC wins, we all win!” – Rebecca Griego, Employee Development Specialist
The next Ladies Night will be led by Shelly Porter, Project Manager. To sign up or get more information contact Molly Pitts by email or phone, and if you cannot reach Molly, Rebecca Griego. We hope to keep this momentum going and learn more about each other, so we hope you will join us on our next fun-filled evening.
CLC Fishing Tournament
The BC team took First Prize in the annual CLC Fishing Tournament at Bay Flats. Brandon Sciba, Canyon Williams, and Gabriel Rodriguez brought the fillet knife trophy back home on March 27, 2021, although they would like to note that Laura Malek, CLC Committee member, caught more redfish than them. Tournament proceeds go towards CLC scholarships to support our next leaders in the construction industry.
The Bartlett Cocke General Contractors Scholarship is now open for applications.
The scholarship is open to children of current Bartlett Cocke General Contractors employees. Here are the criteria for the scholarship:
The Student must:
- Be the child of a current employee of Bartlett Cocke General Contractors;
- Be a U.S. citizen, resident, and graduate of a high school in the State of Texas;
- Be between the ages of 17 and 22;
- Have above average grades throughout high school;
- Have participated in one or more high school extra-curricular activity;
- Demonstrate good citizenship traits; and
- Attend or going to attend any two- or four-year accredited college, university, or vocational/technical school in the United States;
The scholarship can be awarded based on merit or need for financial assistance. The student can be pursuing any degree. This is open to all regions. The child can re-apply each year they meet the above criteria. This year the foundation has incorporated an eligibility quiz so students know every individual scholarship for which they may be eligible.
The process for applying has changed. The San Antonio Area Foundation has created a universal application that would give students the opportunity to be considered for multiple scholarship awards, not just Bartlett Cocke’s Scholarship. The application has opened and will remain open until Feb 1, 2020. Our scholarship fund can be found on this universal application. Please let your children know this would be the application they should complete.
Here is the link to the website to apply: https://saafdn.org/students/scholarships/
If you or your child have questions, please let them know they can reach out directly to Bernice Uresti. Her information is located below:
Scholarship Contact:
Bernice Uresti
Philanthropic Advisor – Scholarships
San Antonio Area Foundation
303 Pearl Parkway, Suite 114 | San Antonio, TX 78215
p: 210.228.3759 | f: 210.225.1980
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