wisconsin constructor issue #2 2012
DESCRIPTION
Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin's official quarterly publication, Wisconsin Constructor, Issue #2 2012TRANSCRIPT
A Publication of the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin ISSUE 2 • 2012
®
THE SAMUELS GROUPCONTRACTORS,INNOVATORS,OVER ACHIEVERS
Features
THE SAMUELSGROUP CONTRACTORS, INNOVATORS,OVER ACHIEVERS
8 The Samuels Group, one of the Midwest’s leading full-service commercial contractors.
AGC SPECIALTY MEMBER PROFILE14 Van Ert Electric
AGC ASSOCIATE MEMBER PROFILE16 Spider
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 3
Official publication of the
Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin4814 East BroadwayMadison, WI 53716-4195TEL: 608-221-3821FAX: 608-221-4446Laura CataldoEditor
2012 OFFICERSKurt BosonPresidentMark RudnickiVice PresidentBob BarkerExecutive Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer
STAFFDave BohlGeneral CounselJim BoullionDirector, Government AffairsJeri BreenDirector, AdministrationLaura CataldoDirector, Workforce and Industry OutreachJim FalboAssociate Director, SafetyDan MakovecPlan Room ManagerBrent MillerDirector, Safety & Environmental ServicesJackie TroiaTeam Assistant
PUBLISHED BY:Slack Attack CommunicationsBarbara SlackPublisherNancy RuddArt DirectorKelly WolfProject Coordinator,Advertising [email protected]
Wisconsin Constructor® is a quarterly publication ofthe Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, Inc.,4814 East Broadway, Madison, WI 53716-4195, 608-221-3821. It is published in January, March, June, andSeptember by Slack Attack Communications, 5113Monona Dr., Madison, WI 53716, (608) 222-7630.Printing is by Reindl Printing Inc., PO Box 317, Mer-rill, WI 54452-0317. For advertising information,contact Slack Attack Communications.Subscriptions included in AGC membership dues;
non-member subscriptions: $20 per year.Address corrections or subscription information
should be directed to the Associated General Contrac-tors of Wisconsin, Inc., 4814 East Broadway, Madison,WI 53716-4195.USPS #016128. Periodicals postage paid at Madison,
WI and at additional offices.©Copyright 2011 by the Associated General Con-
tractors of Wisconsin. Permission to reprint must besecured in advance of publication and credit given toauthor and Wisconsin Constructor®.
Departments4 Message from the President — The Golden Rule Begins in the Home (Office)
5 Risk Management — Contractual Risk Transfer Can Make or Break Your Business
6 Message from the AGC Staff — Why Elections Matter
17 AGC of Wisconsin Membership
19 Index to Advertisers
19 Professional Directory/Buyer’s Guide
A Publication of the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin ISSUE 2 • 2012
The Samuels Group Page 8
Van Ert ElectricPage 14
®
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4 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
Message from the PRESIDENT
Kurt Boson2012 AGC of Wisconsin President
• Integrity: honesty or soundness. Acornerstone of good business thathas to start at the top through leader-ship and be instilled company wide.
• Responsibility: duty or account-ability. AGC of Wisconsin generaland specialty contractors take pridein doing the job right and getting itdone on time.
AGC is really about the welfare andthe betterment of our industry. When wepractice Skill, Integrity and Responsibilityon a personal and company level, itmakes our entire industry better. Whenwe give our time and resources to theAGC, it is important to remember yourcompetitors are in the same boat that youare. Treat them as you would want to betreated. The AGC is a reflection of itsmembers and by being members, weaccept the AGC logo as our industrybrand.
For AGC to thrive and benefit all ofour members, the leaders of our organi-zations need to instill the basic principlesthat guide the character and moral excel-lence for our firms. If there is a link inyour organizational chain that is notpracticing Skill, Integrity or Responsibili-ty, address it. Make not only your compa-ny – but our industry – better.
A few years ago, Leadership AGCcreated a valuable guide that outlinesCodes of Ethics. If you need additionalcopies to initiate a discussion in yourcompany, contact the AGC of Wisconsinoffice.
The projects are scarce. The competi-tion is fierce. AGC’s continued successdepends on each of us to practice theSkill, Integrity and Responsibility theAssociation is founded on. �
The GoldenRule Begins in the Home(Office)
Skill – Integrity – Responsibility.These are the three core principles ofthe Associated General Contractors.
An Association built of some of the bright-est, most hardworking, entrepreneurs andrisk-takers in America – the people whomake things happen. But somethingseems to have been lost in this tryingeconomy where work is scarce and com-petition fierce.
More and more, I hear contractors dis-paraging and complaining about othercontractors – some of which are fellowAGC members. Many of us have lost pro-jects to competitors because of suspect orseemingly unethical practices just to “get ajob”. Ethical business practices have tostart at the top of each individual organi-zation.
Sometimes in the course of our busylives at work and at home, there can be atendency to forget what our Association isall about.
• Skill: ability or proficiency. There isno doubt that Wisconsin has some ofthe most skilled craftsmen in ourindustry. Those of us that work inother states easily attest to the qualityof Wisconsin’s workforce.
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 5
RISK MANAGEMENT
Robert TenhagenSr. Risk Manager, M3 Insurance
limit your indemnification to that con-tract.If I ask to see a contractor’s subcon-
tract agreement, I am often told, “Ourattorney has already looked at it.” A goodcontract attorney should be well-versedin developing jurisdictional language thatis proper and binding with the best inter-est of the client in mind. However, con-tract attorneys are not insurance special-ists. While you need appropriateindemnification language and hold-harmless wording to provide a legal basisto insulate your company from risk, youalso need the proper insurance languageto make sure you have a smooth pipelineto a subcontractor’s insurance (money)when a loss occurs. This is where some attorneys can fall
short. Your attorney should help you draftthe broadest indemnification and hold-harmless language allowed. Your insur-ance agent or broker should help guideyour attorney with the inclusion ofappropriate waiver of subrogation lan-guage, presenting subcontractor of sub-contractor language to help provide pro-tection in the event your subcontractorssubcontract out work, include venue andchoice of law language, and several otherimportant considerations. The agent or broker can provide guid-
ance with insurance requirements includ-ing additional insured coverage that isprimary and noncontributory and namesyour company and other higher tiers (i.e.the general contractor or project owners)as additional insureds. An agent or brokercould also recommend appropriate insur-ance coverage and coverage amountsfrom subcontractors, including extendedcompleted operations coverage withinyour subcontract agreement. In short, for the best protection for
your business, engage both your attorneyAND the right insurance broker or agentfor a solid subcontract agreement andsubcontract management process. �
ContractualRisk TransferCan Make orBreak YourBusiness
Iam amazed at the level of complacen-cy that still exists today when dis-cussing contractual risk transfer prac-
tices with prospective clients. While wewould all still love to live in a world wherehandshakes mean the same thing as a sig-nature, the reality is that longtime friend-ships among contractors can be ruined,business relationships destroyed, andcompanies forced out of business becausea subcontract agreement is not executedproperly. It’s time to bring your businessinto the 21st century and begin using aproven risk management practice of exe-cuting subcontract agreements anytimeyour business subcontracts out work. A recent discussion with national
underwriters for casualty and surety linesprovided insight into their concerns aboutthe broad scope informality of Wisconsin’scontractual risk transfer landscape. Muchthought goes into hiring a subcontractor:Who has more expertise for a particular task?Who can address an exposure in which youdo not want to be involved?Yet, I see com-panies completely willing to hire subswithout properly insulating themselvesfrom the legal liability and financial impli-cations that exist without a signed agree-ment. This informality can be summed upin one word…. reckless!For higher tier relationships, such as
those that exist between a trade contractorand a building owner or general contrac-tor, a common problem I find is that toomany contractors go to the last page, signthe contract, and take the stance of, “I hadno options but to sign the contract.” Itwould behoove anyone responsible forsigning contracts to have a basic under-standing of contractual indemnificationand insurance. This is where you shouldlean on your insurance agent or broker toprovide guidance when you receive lan-guage or conditions that are unsettling. Negotiating of key language in the
indemnification clause can be advanta-geous, such as changing “sole negligence”to “except to the extent,” deleting the word“defend” in the indemnification clause,removing primary and non-contributoryfrom the additional insured clause, substi-tuting “your work” with “your ongoingoperations” to limit your completed oper-ations exposure, and adding “to theextent” to the indemnification clause to
It’s time to bring your business
into the 21st century and begin
using a proven risk management
practice of executing subcontract
agreements.
Mr. Robert Tenhagen is a senior riskmanager at M3 Insurance. Specializing inproperty and casualty, Robert works withconstruction clients to develop safetyprograms, conduct job site audits anddevelop risk management strategies.
6 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
Message from the AGC STAFF
Jim BoullionAGC of WisconsinDirector of Government Affairs
Why Elections MatterI know you are sick and tired of politics,
and political ads, and polling phone callsand people asking for money for candi-dates. Wisconsin has had two of the cra-ziest, most intense political years in ournation’s history. Yes, it sure is getting old.It started in January of 2011 when
newly elected Governor Scott Walker wassworn into office and introduced his land-mark and controversial reforms of publicemployee compensation and labor rulesto help alleviate a $3.6 billion deficit.Labor unions led a tremendous politicalfight against the changes that resulted inmassive protests in and around the Capi-
tal, with 14 Democratic Senators headingoff to Illinois to avoid voting on the pro-posal, and the recall elections of 9 StateSenators. That was only the beginning. Wiscon-
sin also had a very tight State SupremeCourt race that ended up in a recountafter a clerical error threw the electioninto doubt. This led right into the petitiondrives in November and December thatresulted in recall elections for GovernorWalker and four more GOP State Sena-tors. While two of the State Senators didlose, temporarily giving the majority con-trol of the State Senate to the Democrats,Governor Walker won a surprisingly easyvictory in the recall, reaffirming that themajority of Wisconsin voters supportedhis budget changes.Now we are in the home stretch of the
November 2012 elections. We are in amajor political battle over control of theState Senate, replacing Herb Kohl in anationally important US Senator race,and a Presidential race that looks like itwill come down to the wire.Why do we care? Why is important to
not only put up with all of these politicalefforts, but to actually step up and do ourbest to make sure that the pro-construc-tion, pro-growth candidates actuallywin?
Results! Wisconsin demonstrates theresults of what happens when the rightpeople get elected. Lost in all of the pol-itics, protests and fighting over the publicemployee unions and the recalls was allof the great pro-growth legislation andpolicy changes that Governor Walker andthe State Senate and Assembly were ableto accomplish in the last two years.They balanced the budget, reduced the
growth in local property taxes, passed aseries of comprehensive tort reform lawsand made significant changes to the taxlaws to incentivize growth and invest-ment.They also passed many construction
specific law changes that will help theindustry such as prohibiting the use of
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 7
reverse auctions on public constructionprojects, prohibited local residency orsick leave rules for workers on publicconstruction projects, repealed ExecutiveOrder #108 that mandated the use ofapprentices on all State projects andmaintained a strong Capitol Budget forState building projects.Governor Walker in particular has
made it his mission to reform how Stategovernment works. To that end Governor Walker signed
Executive Order #61 which will furtherempower the Small Business RegulatoryReview Board to determine the econom-ic impact of administrative rules on smallbusiness and increase the flexibilitiesgovernment must give employers whencomplying with regulations.The Governor also signed Executive
Order #66 which directs all state agen-cies to begin adopting a “Lean Govern-ment” initiative to review how they oper-ate and find ways to eliminate waste,save time, standardize workflow anddecrease process complexity.As a result of these and other initia-
tives AGC of Wisconsin staff and mem-bers have already had a number of meet-ings with the governor’s office and Stateagencies to talk about construction salestax rules, speeding up building planreview and inspections for medical facil-ities and improving the way State con-struction projects are built and managed.We are planning many more meetings inthe near future.So yes, politics is getting nastier every
year, and the partisan divide seems to begetting wider instead of smaller and weare all sick of the many political ads onTV and the millions of dollars beingspent. At the end of the day it is all worthit!So don’t stop now. There is still a lot of
hard work left to do to get the right peo-ple elected again this November. Helpyour favorite candidates by putting up ayard signs, making phone calls or drop-ping literature and, perhaps most impor-tantly, give them your financial support,through the AGCWI PAC and AGCConduit! �
On May 23rd, two weeks beforehis historic recall election, GovernorScott Walker addressed the AGC ofWisconsin Board of Directors andLegislative Committee. He told thestory of the many accomplishmentsthat his administration has alreadyaccomplished and what he wantsto do in the future to get Wisconsingrowing again.
SAVE THE DATE
Celebrating Wisconsin’sconstruction industry andthe 2012 Build WisconsinAward Winners
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Lambeau Field
Green Bay, WI
One of the Midwest’s leading full-service commercial contractors,The Samuels Group, provides
construction management, owner’s rep-resentative, general contracting, design/build and development services for newand existing projects. Key market focusincludes corporate, health care, educa-tion, and government. The company spe-cializes in green building and utilizes thelatest technology and delivery systemssuch as Integrated Project Delivery andBuilding Information Modeling to deliv-er the highest quality and value to theircustomer.After graduating with a degree in con-
struction management from NorthernIowa University, Sid Samuels joinedAdolfson & Peterson Construction’sWausau office in 1996. Nine years later hepurchased that office and established TheSamuels Group. Since then the companyhas grown revenues by 300 percent end-ing 2011 with a record backlog.As a result of this steady growth, the
company recently opened a third officein Des Moines to meet growingdemands for its commercial construc-tion, construction management, andgeneral contracting services. The compa-ny has several projects under construc-tion in Iowa including The Iowa Correc-tional Institution for Women inMitchellville, University of Iowa FootballPractice Facility in Iowa City, and multi-ple student housing projects at UpperIowa University in Fayette.“We are proud to continue growing
during this challenging economy,” saysVice President of Sales and MarketingJennifer Guerndt. “The Samuels Group isresponsive to our clients’ individual
needs, whether it is small-scale mainte-nance work or a new $80-million con-struction project. We are also smallenough that we can be flexible andchange to meet their needs quickly.”
Following a Strategic PlanConstruction starts in the Midwest
were down 12 percent in 2011, whichmeant fewer project opportunities andmore competition. Despite these toughmarket conditions, The Samuels Groupsecured a number of good projects in2011, including the University of Iowa, theRock Haven skilled nursing facility,Woodson Art Museum, Sacred HeartHospital, and ongoing projects at UpperIowa University. The Samuels Group wasalso selected as one of the top-tier con-struction managers for the State of Iowa.For the most part, this success is the
result of a long-term strategic plan thecompany developed in 2006.“A lot of companies want to load up as
much work as possible, which sometimesmeans you are working for the wrongclient,” says Samuels, president of thecompany. “In 2006 we reviewed all ourpast projects and determined which oneswere the most successful and which oneswere not. Our sales team then used thisinformation to create a profile of our idealclient and then engaged potential clientsthat fit this profile.”This strategy has been highly effec-
tive—sales volume has more than tripledover six years.“Having a strategic plan in place that
drives business decisions and keeps theorganization focused on the big picture isessential for success,” says Samuels. “Ourgoal is to grow our business, but at a pace
“Our goal is to grow ourbusiness, but at a pacethat doesn’t compromisethe level of service towhich our clients havegrown accustomed.”
— Sid Samuels, President
8 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
by Mark Crawford
THE SAMUELS GROUPCONTRACTORS,INNOVATORS,OVER ACHIEVERS
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 9
that doesn’t compromise the level of ser-vice to which our clients have grownaccustomed.”The company strives to continuously
improve the customer experience byadding process improvements and ser-vices that fulfill important needs. Forexample, in 2007 Samuels created theEnvironments Division, an interior fur-nishing solution that helps clients furnishthe spaces they build or renovate. “For many of our customers, this high-value service makes their jobs easier,”adds Samuels. “This is just who we areand demonstrates we are not a typicalcontractor.”
Exemplary WorkforcePerformanceOn July 19, 2012 The Samuels Group
achieved one-million man hours with nolost time accidents—a rare accomplish-ment in the construction industry. Thegroup achieved this incredible safetymilestone in less than 10 years. “The one-million man hour achieve-
ment is a result of a total company atti-tude towards safety,” says Safety DirectorTim Vick. “Safety is ingrained into the wayeach person performs their job.” EverySamuels Group associate (field or office),as well as subcontractors, are taught theSamuels Group’s safety program. Themain goal is to have everybody returnhome at the end of the day in the samecondition they arrived that morning.Some of the proactive measures that
are taken to avoid accidents include dailystretching exercises and pre-task plan-ning checks. This ensures that employeeswill recognize hazards before they causean accident and also have their bodiesphysically ready for all tasks.“Training has become a culture here,”
says Samuels. “It comes down to deci-sion-making. Every employee is empow-ered. All our people—from the reception-ist to project manager—have the right tostop work at any time if they see anunsafe situation.” Hiring the right people is another rea-
son the company has been successful.“We devote a lot of effort to ensure we
bring on the right talent—not just theskills, but also the desire and passion tohave a lasting impression on our clientsand their projects,” says Samuels. “Ourfield staff often has the biggest impact onour clients when construction starts
because they are the front-line commu-nicators with the owner for the durationof the project.”Samuels is proud of the hard work
that has been invested in creating such asafe work environment. “I’d like to give aspecial thanks to our field personnel
who are exposed to the most risk in theirdaily jobs,” he says. “Their focus and carein doing a job that rivals only police, mil-itary, and firefighters for lost-time acci-dents was essential for achieving theone-million-hour safety record and willcontinue to keep our job sites safe.”
The Palladian — Wausau, WIThe Samuels Group served as the general contractor completing this 64,904 squarefoot, six-story multi-use commercial building with underground parking garage that islocated in the center of downtown Wausau. The first floor is retail space and iscurrently home to the Wausau Convention and Visitors Bureau. Jefferson Street Inn,the attached hotel, uses the second floor for additional banquet hall space and thethird and fourth floors for hotel rooms. The fifth and sixth floors are condominiums.
“The Palladian development constructed by Samuels Group was a
65,000 square foot development that's now become a landmark
building in Downtown Wausau. It was a complete pleasure
working with Sid Samuels and the entire group to bring this
project to fruition.”
— Mark Craig, General Manager, Compass Properties
10 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
Selected Projects
Green Lake Government Center,Green Lake CountyIn 2008, Green Lake County employ-
ees were headquartered in a historiccourthouse and old gear factory in GreenLake. After The Samuels Group conduct-ed feasibility studies, the county boarddecided to build a new government cen-ter. The 158,000-square-foot, LEED-reg-istered facility was completed nearly $1million under budget. Over 200 geother-mal wells heat and cool the buildingthrough a series of heat pumps. “The Green Lake Government Center
project won the 2011 AGC Build Wiscon-sin Award, which was exciting because itwas our first large project that includedthe services of both our construction andinterior furnishings teams,” indicatesGuerndt.“We were very impressed with The
Samuels Group,” adds Marge Bostel-mann, Green Lake County Clerk. “Thequality of work is outstanding. They werealways responsive and gave us the infor-mation we needed to make informeddecisions during the constructionprocess.”
Lac du Flambeau Tribal NaturalResources Center, Lac du FlambeauThis 7,200-square-foot facility is the
headquarters for the Natural ResourceDepartment of the Lac Du FlambeauBand of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.The center features office space, laborato-ries, classroom facilities, and a camp-ground store. A multitude of green fea-tures were included in the design, such asphotovoltaic cells, geothermal heatingsystems, and tubular skylights for day-lighting (the project is expected to meetLEED certification requirements and willbe the model for future tribal green con-struction). “The Samuels Group worked with us
diligently to meet funding requirementsfor some of the grants,” says EmersonCoy, Director of Planning and Develop-ment for the Lac du Flambeau Band.“They were very helpful in designing thebuilding to take advantage of solar ener-gy and geothermal heating. Their teamalso worked closely with tribal staff dur-ing the project and ensured that triballabor was used.”
Green Lake Government Center — Green Lake County, WI
Lac du Flambeau Tribal Natural Resources Center — Lac du Flambeau, WI
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum — Wausau, WI
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 11
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, WausauAn 8,500 square-foot building addi-
tion was needed to accommodate BMOHarris Bank’s donation of M&I Bank’scollection of Owen Gromme paintings.Building features include ADA-compli-ant bathrooms on the main and lowerlevels, an elevator, and green design ele-ments and sustainable materials to max-imize energy efficiency. “The Samuels Group went above and
beyond as our business partner,” saysDirector Kathy Foley. “They were incred-ibly organized and completed the projecton an unbelievably tight timeline, with atight budget. The company also fullyembraced the unique requirements of anart museum that might have been lost onother contractors, such as lighting,humidity, and temperature controls. Inshort, The Samuels Group was a totalpleasure to work with and did a fantasticjob.”
Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau ClaireThis project consists of replacing a
nine-story curtain wall system, includingthe demolition and replacement of exte-rior veneer curtain wall structures, glassand metal panels, and glazing. TheSamuels Group provided budgeting,scheduling, mock-ups, and preconstruc-tion work to support the architecturaldesign, and partnered with OSHA tosupport the agency’s strategic plan bydeveloping strategies to improve safetyand health in the construction industry.The project is scheduled for completionin 2014.“I really like their team approach,”
comments Mark Preston, ConstructionCoordinator for Sacred Heart Hospital.“They are outstanding coordinators,from pricing out the project to managingsubcontractors. They have kept disrup-tion of patients to an absolute minimumand are very careful about controllingcontamination and dust.”
Upper Iowa University, Fayette,IowaThe $75-million Upper Iowa Univer-
sity capital improvement project includesthree buildings constructed by TheSamuels Group. The campus is the site ofa new LEED-certified liberal arts build-ing, student center, and suite-style hous-ing complex for students. The 34,000-square-foot liberal arts building includesprominent daylighting, geothermal loopsystem, and low-VOC floor and wall
Sacred Heart Hospital —Eau Claire, WI
Upper Iowa University —Fayette, IA
12 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
coverings. Sustainable materials, energy-efficient lighting, water conservation sys-tems, and low-VOC interior coveringswere also used in the student housingcomplex. “Communication with The Samuels
Group has been outstanding and theykeep us up to date on schedule and cost-ing,” says Bryan Jolley, Executive Directorof Facilities Management for Upper IowaUniversity. “They have been highlyresponsive to our needs throughout theproject.”
Noel Residence, WausauThe Samuels Group served as the
design-build and general contractor forthis 29,838 square-foot home in centralWisconsin. For a general contractor thiswas a rare opportunity to blend Old-World style with modern technology andamenities. Unique design and craftsman-ship is evident throughout the home,including high coffered ceilings, cus-tomized molding, circular wood stairs,and hand-scraped hardwood floors.State-of-the-art security, temperature,and lighting controls provide a safe, effi-cient, and comfortable environment.“The Samuels Group was very open
and flexible in helping create a Hamp-ton-style home on the Wisconsin River,”says owner John Noel. “We were sopleased with the experience that weinvited everyone who worked on the pro-ject to our home for dinner and cocktailsas a way to thank The Samuels Groupand its subcontractors.”
Looking AheadThe construction industry is still strug-
gling to recover from the Great Reces-sion. It is still a challenge for clients tosecure the funding they need. “We are asflexible as possible in our approach toclients and provide as many high-valueservices as we can,” says Samuels.“Nobody delivers the number of servicesthat we offer in-house, including devel-opment, architectural, construction, andfurnishings. We also assist clients in find-
Flambeau Hospital — Park Falls, WIThe Flambeau Hospital project was a remodel and expansion that included severalrenovated areas such as triage and trauma rooms and a newly constructed mainentrance with covered canopy that made the emergency room entrance moreprominent and easier for patients and visitors to find. Samuels Group Environments,The Samuels Group’s commercial furniture division played an important role byproviding healthcare furniture solutions designed to increase productivity whilemaking patients more comfortable.
“Forming a long-term relationship with our project’s
architectural/construction team was important to us and it turned
out to be an invaluable experience for all parties involved. I
worked with The Samuels Group from the initial planning of our
project through construction completion. Their team became
familiar with our facility, our staff and our processes. Ultimately,
they became an extension of our team and I am confident that
decisions were made in our best interest.”
— Dave Grundstrom, Chief Admin. Officer, Flambeau Hospital, Park Falls & Phillips Centers
Dunn County Health Care Center — Menomonie, WIThe Samuels Group was selected as the Construction Manager to complete theconstruction of this new 109,000 Sf facility with a large central core building, twosmall core buildings, and 9 housing buildings with a budget of $22,000,000.
ing suitable property, funding, tax credits,grant writing, budget development, andmarketing support.” The Samuels Group invests in tech-
nology when it is appropriate and useful.Building Information Modeling (BIM) isutilized to merge construction, HVAC,plumbing, and electrical plans to identifyconflicts and choke points so problemsdon’t arise in the field. Even though theprocess saves clients time and money, forSamuels the greatest value of BIM is thatit inspires communication.“At the end of the day, technology in
construction is an excellent tool for stim-ulating communication and developingmodels,” says Samuels. “And better mod-els create better opportunities to deliverprograms in the best possible way.”The Samuels Group continues to rely
on AGC Wisconsin for guidance andsupport.“I’ve been a member of AGC since
1993,” says Samuels. “I value the depth oftheir resources and their willingness tohelp. We have strong relationships withstaff at AGC and I feel very comfortablegiving them a call whenever we have aquestion or need some advice.”Samuels is grateful his company has
been able to maintain its employee basethroughout the economic downturn andstill build a solid backlog of constructionwork for the coming year.“Even though we would like to see
more projects in central Wisconsin, over-all we have fared well during a time ofuncertainty,” he says. “A contributing fac-tor to this success is our client-focusedapproach—something we will alwaysembrace. It is about understanding thechanging needs of our clients and pro-viding the necessary services they needto reach their goals. Providing a multi-tude of services that can be accessed tomove a project forward to construction isour strength; building a great facility issimply what we leave behind.” �
The Samuels Group has been a member ofAGC of Wisconsin since 1993.
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 13
Potawatomi Bingo/Northern Lights Casino — Carter, WI75,000 square foot construction of a new casino for the Forest County PotawatomiTribe. This project features high-end interior finishes, state-of-the-art electronics andsecurity throughout the gaming, conference, and bar/restaurant areas. This casinowas featured in the July 2006 issue of Native American Casino magazine.
“It has been a memorable experience working with The Samuels
Group. They always had the owner in mind. They made sure to
meet all deadlines and were vigilant about staying within our
budget. The Samuels Group and their employees stand out as a
very personable firm. We are pleased with the results of the
building and continue to be pleased with their attention to detail.”
— Cheryl Waube, General Manager, Potawatomi Bingo Northern Lights Casino
Rock Haven Skilled Nursing Facility — Janesville, WIRock Haven is a new 128 private room, 178,000 square foot residential style assistedliving facility. Seven structures laid out over 26 acres in a campus like settingdesigned to resemble a village.
14 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2, 2012
Van Ert ElectricSpecialty ContractorMEMBER PROFILE
Van Ert Electric was founded in 1964by Mel Van Ert. In the 48 years since
inception, Van Ert has grown both geo-graphically and technologically to sup-port its customers’ needs.Van Ert is headquartered in Wausau,
Wisconsin with offices in Kaukauna,Eau Claire and Kingsford, Michigan.Having performed work in 20 states,some of the larger projects include:Inland Empire Energy Center,Romoland, CA, a 800 megawatt naturalgas fired combined cycle unit; Weston 4Power Plant, Weston, WI, a 500megawatt coal fired plant; OSL (Orient-ed Strand Lumber) plant in Houlton,Maine, a large OSL plant manufacturingand sawing dimensioned lumber fromthe oriented strand process; Deer CreekPower Plant, Basin Electric, Brookings,South Dakota, a 300 MW CombinedCycle Plant. Van Ert is presently per-forming the electrical and instrumenta-tion contract for WE Energies 50 MWBiomass Co-Generation Project on theDomtar, Rothschild, Wisconsin site.Van Ert’s services include substations,
medium and low voltage power distrib-ution systems, process controls andinstrumentation, PLC programming,
UL listed control panels, interior andexterior lighting, lighting automation,grounding systems, heat trace systems,fire alarm, security and access controlsystems, structured cabling, phone sys-tems, fiber optics, thermal imaging,motor brush inspection, arc flash evalu-ations and coordination studies.Van Ert is a full service contractor.
Projects include office buildings,schools, medical facilities, hotels, dairy,food processing, food packaging, ULlisted custom control panels, Bureau ofAeronautics (airport) projects, streetlighting, DOT traffic signals, water andwastewater treatment plants, pulp andpaper mills, ethanol plants, mines,nuclear plant maintenance, natural gas,coal and biomass fired power plants.Van Ert has on staff senior project
managers, project managers, profes-sional engineers, engineers, program-mers, instrumentation technicians,teledata technicians, panel shop wire-men and master electricians. They offerdesign/build expertise in all of the mar-kets they serve.Van Ert has been an Associate mem-
ber of AGC for 8 years. They haveincorporated many of AGC’s safety
ideas and publications into their safetyeducation and training. Van Ert hasreceived three Build Wisconsin awardsfrom AGC.Van Ert was recognized three times in
the past seven years in EC&M (ElectricalConstruction and Maintenance) maga-zine as being in the Top 50 ElectricalContractors in the nation.The company is a member of other
Trade Associations including MechanicalContractors Association (MCA), Wiscon-sin Paper Council, National ElectricalContractors Association (NECA). BobVan Ert, President of Van Ert ElectricCompany, Inc. has recently been electedPresident of the Wisconsin Chapter ofNECA. Management at Van Ert haveserved on local apprenticeship commit-tees for over 40 years.For more information on Van Ert visit
their website at www.vanert.com. �
Van Ert Electric Company has been a memberof the AGC of Wisconsin since 2004.
WE Energies Biomass Project – Rothschild, WI Dudley Tower – Wausau, WI
16 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
SpiderAssociate MemberMEMBER PROFILE
In 1947, the founders of Spider – twopainting contractors who needed abetter way to access a 250 ft tall steelbridge over a deep ravine – created thepowered suspended access business byintroducing the well-known Spider bas-ket. Since then, Spider’s product andservice offering has expanded to servethe needs of an ever-growing market-place. Spider is the largest manufactur-er and distributor of access and safetysolutions in North America, serving cus-tomers from 25 locations. From basket,traction hoist and platform rental, tosafety and Competent Person Training,to specialty-engineered products andwind turbine access—Spider has astrong team of professionals, along witha national network of sales, service &support capabilities to provide clientswith the most reliable access solutionavailable.
Spider is recognized as a top 75 rentalcompany in North America. Its productsare made in its ISO 9001:2008 certifiedfactory in Seattle. Spider employs stan-dard work instructions (SWIs) that doc-ument the complete manufacture,inspection and repair of new and usedrental equipment. SWIs ensure Spiderdelivers the same high quality equip-ment, consistently and professionallyprepared across all locations. Getting theproduct right every time results in thebest productivity for the customers. Spi-der trains certified technicians to thesestandards, tests them for competence,and audits for compliance. Train…test…audit. It’s simply the best way to ensurecustomers’ productivity.Spider’s market leadership shows in
the details: over 30,000 manufacturedSpider hoists, $22 million suspendedaccess rental fleet, 24/7 technical sup-
port, engineering/PE stamps nationwide,dedicated risk management group, and“A+15” rated insurance coverage. All ofthis adds up to over 65 years of marketleadership for Spider. Spider continues tostrive to make its customers more pro-ductive in ways they value: increaseduptime, lower cost of ownership, saferoperation for employees. Visit www.spi-derstaging.com for more informationabout Spider’s products and services, orcontact the Chicago team at 877-774-3370 or 847-455-6627. �
Spider, a division of SafeWorks, LLC, hasbeen a member of the AGC of Wisconsinsince 2000.
Steel Structure Access with Modular Platform Concrete Bridge Access with ST-180 WorkBasket
A&A Environmental, Inc.Acme Construction Metals, Inc.J.F. Ahern Co.Appleton Lathing CorporationApplied Ecological ServicesArchitectural Products of Wausau, Ltd.August Winter & Sons, Inc.Austad & Son, Inc.Badger Swimpools Inc.Balestrieri Environmental &Development, Inc.
Bartingale Mechanical, Inc.Bassett MechanicalC&S Construction, Inc.Ceco Concrete ConstructionCentral Ceiling Systems, Inc.Coppens Metal & RoofingCorner Stone Construction of Janesville, Inc.
Crowley MasonryE&A Enterprises, Inc.Faith Technologies, Inc.Falcon Drilling & Blasting, Inc.Forward Electric, Inc.Gauthier & Sons’ Construction, Inc.General Heating & Air ConditioningHoward Grote & Sons, Inc.H&H Group Holdings, Inc.H&H Industries, Inc.Hagen Decorators, Inc. & North CentralInsulation
Marshall Hanes Steel Erectors, Inc.Hasheider Roofing & Siding, Ltd.Hooper CorporationHurckman Mechanical Industries, Inc.Interior Installation ServicesKlein-Dickert Co., Inc.Lewis Construction Inc.
Madison Crushing & Excavating Co.,Inc.
Madison Gas & Electric CompanyMartell Construction, Inc.H.J. Martin & Son, Inc.Middleton ConstructionMiddleton Insulation Systems, LLCMonona Plumbing & Fire Protection,Inc.
Neuman Pools, Inc.North American Mechanical, Inc. Northern Electricians, Inc.Omni Glass and Paint, Inc.Ostrenga Excavating, Inc.H.J. Pertzborn Plumbing and Fire Protection Corp.
Prairie Plumbing & Heating, Inc.Pro-Foamers, Inc.Quality Erectors & Sheeters, Inc.
ACS, Inc.Alfredson Bros. Construction Co., Inc.Bacco Construction CompanyBachmann Construction Co., Inc.Bauer & Raether Builders, Inc.Blue Sky Contractors, LLCOscar J. Boldt Construction Co.The Boson Company, Inc.BriMark Builders, LLCCamosy IncorporatedCapitol Underground, Inc.Community Living Solutions LLCJ.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc.Dane County Contracting, LLCDell Construction Co., Inc.Ellis Stone Construction Company, Inc.Marshall Erdman & AssociatesPaul V. Farmer, Inc.J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.Fowler and Hammer, Inc.Ganther Construction, Inc.Gorman & Co., Inc.Gundlach Champion, Inc.Hamann Construction CompanyHammersley Stone CompanyHoffman, LLCHolster Construction, Inc.Homburg Contractors, Inc.IEI General Contractors, Inc.Ideal Builders, Inc.Howard Immel Inc.Klobucar Construction Company, Inc.Kraemer Brothers, LLCKraus-Anderson Construction Co.Lunda Construction CompanyMagill Construction Company, Inc.Market & Johnson, Inc.Maryville Construction Company, Inc.McCabe Construction, Inc.McGann Construction, Inc.McKee Associates, Inc.McMullen & Pitz Construction CompanyC.R. Meyer and Sons CompanyMiron Construction Company, Inc.M.A. Mortenson CompanyParisi Construction Co., Inc.Progressive Construction Services, LLCQuasius Construction, Inc.Rasch Construction and Engineering, Inc.Riley Construction Company, Inc.Rossi Construction Co., Inc.Ruzic Construction Co.The Samuels Group, Inc.Scherrer Construction Company, Inc.The Peter Scherrer GroupJos. Schmitt & Sons Const. Co., Inc.Sjostrom & Sons, Inc.C.D. Smith Construction, Inc.Speedway Sand & Gravel, Inc.Staab Construction CorporationStevens Construction Corp.Kenneth F. Sullivan Co.TCI Architects, Engineers, Contractor, Inc.Tri-North Builders, Inc.Vogel Bros. Building Co.Vonasek & Schieffer, Inc.Frank O. Zeise Construction Company, Inc.
MEMBERSHIPGeneral Contractors Specialty Contractors
Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012 17
Continued on next page.
18 Wisconsin Constructor® / Issue 2 • 2012
Specialty Contractors (continued)
Interested in becoming
a member?Contact Laura Cataldo
at the AGC of Wisconsin office for membership information:
Quality Insulators, Inc.Robinson Brothers Environmental, Inc.Rockwell Group, Inc.Rohde Brothers, Inc.SPE, Inc.Terra Engineering & ConstructionCorporation
Don Theobald MasonryTri-City Refrigration, Inc.Tweet/Garot Mechanical, Inc.Van Ert Electric Co., Inc.Veit, Inc.Ver Halen, Inc.Wall-Tech, Inc.Westphal & Co., Inc.Zander Insulation/Solutions
Associate Members
AON Risk Services of WisconsinAkerman Senterfitt Wickwire GavinAllied Insulation SupplyAllstar Financial GroupAmerican State Equipment Company, Inc.A. N. Ansay & Associates, Inc.Arch Insurance GroupAxley Brynelson, LLPBadgerland Supply, Inc.Baker TillyBenes & Krueger, S.C.Block Iron & Supply CompanyBlueprints, Inc.The Bruce Co. of WisconsinBrunsell Lumber & MillworkCNA Surety Corporation Candlewood SuitesChubb Group of Insurance CompaniesClifton Gunderson LLPCobb-Strecker-Dunphy & Zimmerman,Inc.
Construction Data ServicesConstruction Risk Associates, Inc.
County Materials CorporationThe Daily ReporterDawes Rigging & Crane RentalDeWitt Ross & StevensDirectNetworks, Inc.Discher Architectural MillworkEndres Manufacturing CompanyScott Engroff, LCCEnterprise Fleet ServicesFabco Equipment, Inc.Farrell Equipment & Supply Company,Inc.
The Forker CompanyGallagher Construction ServicesGerdau Ameristeel–AppletonHatch Building SupplyHausmann-Johnson InsuranceHayden Murphy Equipment/HausmannInsurance
Ideal Crane Rental, Inc.Iron PlanetJanesville Brick & TileJanesville Sand & Gravel CompanyKahler SlaterKelly FinancialKendell Doors & Hardware, Inc.Komisar & Spindler, S.C.Krukowski & Costello, S.C.LaForce, Inc.Lakes Brick & Block, LLCLarsonAllenLee, Kilkelly, Paulson & Younger, S.C.Liberty Mutual SuretyLincoln Contractors Supply, Inc.Lindner & MarsackM3 Insurance Solutions, Inc.Manitowoc Cranes, Inc.MasterGraphicsMcCarty Law LLPMcElroy Metal Inc.McFarlane Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Melli Law, S.C.Murphy & Desmond, S.C.Neenah Foundry CompanyNimsgern Steel Corp.O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong S.C.Park BankPremier Engineering & TestingPurple Cow OrganicsQuarles & Brady, LLPR&R Insurance Services, Inc.RSM McGladreyReynolds Crane ServiceRiver Steel, Inc.J. Ryan Bonding, Inc.Safe-Con, LLCSand Source Services, USSchenck Business SolutionsSecurity InsuranceSlack Attack CommunicationsSmith & Gesteland, LLPSpancrete Inc. Spider Staging LLCStetson Building ProductsSVA Construction ServicesTemp-Air, Inc.TravelersTruck CountryVander Bloemen Group LLCVerona SafetyWK Construction Co. Inc.T. Wall PropertiesWhyte Hirschboeck Dudek, S.C.Willis of Wisconsin, Inc.Wilderness DevelopmentWingra Stone Company—Wingra Redi-Mix, Inc.
Wipfli LLPZurich
BUILDING PRODUCTS INSULATION
Professional Directory / Buyer’s Guide
BUILDING RENOVATION SERVICES
OVER 35 YEARS EXPERIENCESpray Applied Urethane Foam Insulation & Fluid Applied Air Barrier Systems
742 Borvan Ave.Green Bay, WI 54304920-499-9999920-499-9963 faxe-mail: [email protected]
I N D E X T O A D V E R T I S E R S
For advertising information contact: KELLY SLACKSlack Attack Communications / 608-222-7630 / [email protected]
American State Equipment..............................IBCBalestrieri .....................................................IBCGeneral Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. .......15Hooper Corporation .......................................15Hurckman Mechanical Industries, Inc. .................6
Ideal Crane Rental, Inc...................................IFCJ.F. Ahern Co. ................................................18Kelly Financial, Inc. ..........................................4Lycon Inc. ......................................................18Middleton Insulation Systems ..........................IBC
M3 Insurance...................................................7Pro-Foamers, Inc............................................IBCStetson Building Products, Inc..........................IBCTweet/Garot Mechanical, Inc. .........................17Wall-tech, Inc.................................................BC
