Hard Hat Huddle

Permitting Pitfalls

2011-09-01T09:06:00.000-04:00

In today’s economic climate getting a permit can be as much of a challenge as getting the Job. Permitting authorities are facing unprecedented cuts to their operating budgets. This is due to several reasons such as the reduction of revenue caused by the drop in taxable real-estate value. The forecast does not look good for these authorities as economists continue to see slow growth in real-estate values. The authorities have cut staff to the bone. In some cases I see only one plan reviewer where their used to be 2 or more. This is leading to extended review times. Some authorities are offering expedited services at a premium added cost. However as these programs become popular review times will extend further even with a so-called expedited permit application.

So what are our options? Private provider can be a good option but it will add cost to the project. Depending on your timeframe and budget most clients will prefer to avoid these extra costs. Another option is through pre-construction drawing review; this requires a managed approach but will cut down on review comments. Pre-submittal meetings with the individual authorities, getting the design professionals in the room with the plan reviewers will greatly reduce review time and plan re-submittal. These options won’t work for every job but being ready for the obstacles ahead can reduce your frustration and the frustration of the client. Make sure you communicate with your permitting authority well in advance of plan submittal review, times can change daily.

At Hennessy I track our permits and follow them through plan review. Over the years I have become familiar with the staff and how each municipality works. This does reduce the amount of time a set of plans sits waiting to be reviewed. Because of my familiarity with their process I can help guide plans through review and reduce delays in revisions. Knowing your way around goes a long way in navigating a project through the current difficulties.

Recently Hennessy did some renovation work for the St. Pete Free Clinic Beacon House Men’s Dorm. This was a difficult project to permit with no budget being a nonprofit. The project had been in limbo for nearly a year before we were asked to help. Because of my relationship with the City and working closely with the designers we were able to overcome the obstacles’ preventing the project from being permitted. Within a short amount of time we were able to secure the permit and begin the much needed renovation.

We at Hennessy take great pride in helping our clients and design partners overcome challenges with their projects. We always work hard to insure a quality and timely project for our clients.

By John Poloney

Project Engineer 12 years with Hennessy

Old Company, New Tricks || Gulf Coast Business Review | Tampa Bay, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples

2011-08-09T08:44:00.000-04:00

Old Company, New Tricks || Gulf Coast Business Review | Tampa Bay, Bradenton, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples

2011 Kingfish Tournament Results

2011-08-09T08:33:00.002-04:00

Hennessy Construction Services

15th Annual HCS Kingfish Tournament

R E S U L T S

Also sporting a winning smile, Travis Brazil shows off his first-place-winning, 24.40 Kingfish entry. Travis walked away with $4,875 in the Winner-Takes-All event. From l to r: Wayne Lester, Jerry Brazil, and Travis Brazil from the J&K Electric Team.

Cal Hunter from the Westshore Properties' Team caught this year's winning Calcutta entry, a 21.45 lb. Amberjack, worth $3,300. From l to r: Steve Tucker, Kevin Schmidt, Cal Hunter (blue shirt), Kim Pentz, Samantha Stewart, Hennessy's Bronson Alexander, and Randy Stewart.

Ed Mills, West Coast Foundation Team, won the 15th place Kingfish prize of $250 for a 5.3 lb. Kingfish. Pictured above are Rick Smith and Ed Mills with tournament host, Bronson Alexander.

15th Annual HCS Kingfish Tournament

Recap

What a full, fun, adventurous day for a Kingfish Tournament!

With a big weather front moving in, it was hard to predict how this year's Tournament would evolve. The morning breeze gave way to a thunderstorm, which moved through shortly before the check-in deadline. After that, the skies cleared and we experienced very pleasant weather.

Thirty-five of the 52 registered boaters appeared at the Madeira Beach Elk's Lodge for the Weigh-In party.

A great buffet and live music were provided by the Elk's Lodge, followed by the Weigh-In and photos. Many door prizes donated by local businesses (see the listing below of our generous contributors) were given away and, of course, many tales were shared of the big contender that got away.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the

15th Annual HCS Kingfish Tournament.

To visit the Hennessy Kingfish web site for more photos, click on Kingfish website.

If you would like to receive e-mails for our future tournament and announcements,

please click here.

Hope to see you for next year's

16th HCS Kingfish Tournament!

Penny Santner

Hennessy Construction Services

psantner@hcsfl.com

727-821-3223, 123

A Special Thanks

to the following businesses for their donations:

A Cut Above, Madeira Beach - Shirley McClearnon . . . Two Free Haircuts, Two Free Weeks Tanning

Bob Lees, St. Petersburg - Todd Moran . . . One Electro Aquamate Marine Battery

Bond Thomas Chiropractic, St. Petersburg - Bond Thomas . . . One Tri-Core Cervical Support Pillow

Two Free Consulations, Evaluations & X-rays

Don CeSar Resort Hotel, St. Pete Beach - John Jones . . . One Night Stay for Two

Douthitt Construction, Oldsmar - Chris Douthitt . . . One Eagle Eyes Sunglasses, One SS Mate's Pliers

One SS Fillet Knife

HoneyBaked Ham, Tampa - David Bishop . . . One 7-lb. HoneyBaked Ham

Jiffy Reprographics, Clearwater - Bob Roperti . . . Decals for Buckets & Tags for Prizes, Okuma 30 Reel

Jim & Slim's Tool Supply, Kirk Burzynski . . . Five $20 Jim & Slim's Tool Supply Gift Certificates

Two Allen Socket Sets, One Allen Screwdriver Set

Mason Blau & Associates, Clearwater - Mike Mason . . . Two Rays Baseball Lower Box Seat Tickets &

One Parking Pass

Mastry's Bait & Tackle, St. Petersburag - Larry Mastry . . . One Penn Slammer Rod

Poole & Kent, Tampa - Nick Angerosa . . . One $75 West Marine Gift Certificate

Stonewood Grill & Tavern, North Sarasota - Sam Aguilar . . . Four $25 Stonewood Grill Gift Certificates

T.A. Mahoney, Tampa - Tarin Silkworth . . . One Taco 24' Spread Menhaden Cast Net

Wall Doctors, St. Petersburg - Don Bain . . . 75 Five-gallon Buckets

Wells Fargo Insurance, Clearwater - Jim Henderson . . . $25 Gift Certificates to Carrabbas's, Outback,

Bonefish Grill, Cracker Barrel, Ruby Tuesday's, Olive Garden, P.F. Chang's, Chili's

White Cap Construction Supply, Tampa - Barrie Coates . . . One Stanley 24" FatMax Level

One Brigade Socket Set

Hennessy Turn 90 St. Petersburg Times Article

2011-08-08T15:25:00.000-04:00

Hennessy Construction is proud to Announce the Jordan Elementary Renovation has received it's LEED Silver Certificate.

2011-08-08T15:15:00.000-04:00

Hennessy Construction is proud to Announce the Jordan Elementary Renovation has received it's LEED Silver Certificate.

As one of our LEED projects, the project team diverted 95% of the waste. This means 95% of the trash that would have ended up in a land fill has been recycled. In fact, much of the building's floors and wood supports, over 14 tons worth, were made of hearts of pine. This gorgeous 90-year-old wood was saved, ripped down and reused as trim work and flooring at another Hennessy project. Another impressive feature of this "green" building is the solar heaters and photovoltaic system which is housed on the roof. The solar water heaters use the sun's rays to heat water and cycle it throughout the entire building. Turn on a faucet in this building and you won't be waiting for the water to heat up. Additionally, the photovoltaic system stores the energy collected from the sun to help power the building. There aren't enough panels to power the entire building, but they do drastically reduce the cost of powering it.

Children ranging in age from two to five spend their days playing and learning in one of the six classrooms that are housed on the first floor. The first floor also includes restrooms, a large open air hallway and an elevator vestibule. Each classroom features several coat closets reminiscent of the 1920's style, including a weighted sash operating system for the doors, which slide up to save space instead of opening out into the classroom. As many of the original structural elements as possible were saved and reincorporated into the building. The coat racks were salvaged and have been cleaned up to be used by several more generations of children.

The second floor of the facility has been designated for Administrative use. It contains a sick room, break room, Intake offices, conference room and a special area for parents that provides computer access so they can look for employment and attain their GEDs. One more great service to the people of St. Petersburg and another successful project for Hennessy.

To see more photos of the construction process, please visit the Jordan Schoolphoto gallery.

Building of America Network Honors Jordan School Restoration

2011-08-08T15:12:00.000-04:00

Building of America Network Honors Jordan School Restoration

Farmington Hills, MI — From hundreds of submitted projects, only the best have been selected as Building of America award winners. The award honors thecountry’s most innovative, unique and challenging projects — projects that are particularly noteworthy and/or that give back to their respective communities.The Jordan School Restoration project is now available for viewing online at

http://www.buildingofamerica.com/news/articles/ef/1110/jordanSchool/index.html

You may use this embedded link on your company website.

The Building of America award-winning projects represent the best in new construction and renovation in a wide variety of categories including commercial and retail, mixed-use, multifamily residential, government, transportation/infrastructure, health care, education, religious, historical restoration and more. Submitted projects are reviewed by a selection committee that is looking for projects with unique design or construction elements; innovative solutions to challenges including financing, environmental, and zoning; efficient and cost-effective methods of planning and execution; and/or have a significant economical impact on the region, among others.

The Building of America Network is an essential link, bringing owners
together with the design and construction industry nationwide by profiling
new construction and renovation projects in a case-study format. Owners can read, in the words of other owners, architects and general contractors, about the newest facilities joining the landscape in their respective region. More importantly, the case studies provide a tool to help owners learn from one another’s experiences. The website combines more than 50,000 links and millions of searches each year.

With more than a decade of experience, The Building of America Network has been publishing since 1996. For more information about our company, how to submit a project for consideration and how you can get involved in future editions, visit www.buildingofamerica.com
or contact Julie Zulch at 248-200-3315 (jzulch@buildingofamerica.com)
or Sheila Kamin at 248-200-3343 (sheilak@buildingofamerica.com)

Boat Safety

2010-03-30T10:15:00.000-04:00

The warming of our Florida weather signals the beginning of fishing/boating season. With this in mind, our blog for this month is a reprint of an article from BoatSafety.com.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE SETTING OFF:

Check the weather forecast by:

Listening to the shipping or local radio forecast or by tuning into the weather channel or your local TV station.
Checking the latest marine forecast (Marine Weather on this site).
Telephoning the Coastguard or listening to the weather reports on the VHF.

Check the condition of the boat and its equipment.
Ensure the engine is well maintained. Carry a tool kit and essential spares.
Ensure safety equipment is provided for all on board.
Check on local conditions e.g. tide races, areas of shallow water and know the "Rules of the Road" - Your life may depend on it.
Obtain relevant charts and tide tables.
Plan the trip:

How long will it take?
Who will keep watch?
What access do you have to safe havens en route?
What are the alternatives?

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

File a float plan with someone you can trust - the Coast Guard recommends a friend, family member or other responsible party.

Include departure and arrival times.
Point of destination and route.
Description of the boat.
Names of all persons on board and a contact number ashore.

If you change any of the above, remember to inform your contact ashore and be sure to call when you are safely back into port.
Ensure that parked vehicles and trailers do not obstruct slipways or access for emergency vehicles/lifeboats and are above the high water mark.
Know your limitations:

Sail within your own ability and that of your crew.
Ensure you have sufficient experienced crew for the trip, particularly if it is overnight.
Know the limitations of your boat.
Do not overload the boat as it will make it unstable.

BE SAFE AFLOAT

Lifejackets and safety harnesses are essential and should be provided for everyone on board. They could ensure your survival, but only if worn. Last year, in the U.S., 80% of all boating fatalities involved people who were not wearing life jackets.
Ensure sets of warm and protective clothing are available including sunglasses.
Everyone must know what to do in a man overboard situation - It could be YOU

Check out "Man Overboard" for more information.

Advice on carrying additional safety equipment can be obtained from any of the participating organizations. The lives of your family must be worth a phone call.

HOW TO ATTRACT ATTENTION IN AN EMERGENCY

A VHF radio, which can be a portable (limited range, however), will enable you to summon help by calling the Coastguard on channel 16. This may also alert other vessels in your vicinity who may be able to provide assistance. If you are in an emergency situation involving injury or potential loss of property, issue a Mayday call on channel 16. Do NOT allow anyone other than the Coast Guard to move you to a different frequency. For more information view the "Communications Page" on the Boating Safety website. Check out "use of the VHF" for proper mayday procedures.
If you use a VHF radio you no longer need to obtain an operators license if it is only used for recreational purposes.
Carry a portable foghorn and use the whistle fitted to your lifejacket to attract attention if necessary

CARRY AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF PROPULSION AND A SPARE CAN OF FUEL

A set of oars or a small auxiliary outboard are advisable.
A spare can of fuel is essential and should be clearly marked if different types are carried, e.g. gas or diesel.
Always carry a tow-rope and ensure you have a strong towing point in the fore end of the boat.
Because of the cost of commercial marine towing, we recommend that you obtain some form of towing protection.

CARRY A FIRST AID KIT, A TORCH AND IN-DATE DISTRESS FLARES

Day and night distress flares are essential, instructions for their safe use are printed on the side, read these and understand them - It is too late on a dark and stormy night
Our on-line boating safety course provides more information on the use visual distress signals.
A first aid kit and basic first aid knowledge can prove invaluable until professional assistance arrives.
Keep all your essential small gear in a watertight container
In any sort of emergency, call the Coast Guard on VHF channel 16.

CARRY AN IN-DATE FIRE EXTINGUISHER, A BAILER AND AN ANCHOR WITH ADEQUATE CHAIN AND ROPE

A length of chain adds weight to the anchor and will improve its holding capability.
Ensure your anchor cable is of sufficient length for the area in which you are sailing.
A radar reflector on a yacht will assist with detection by other vessels, particularly in reduced visibility.

BE AWARE

Keep a good look out at all times and be aware of your surroundings
Be sensible about drinking alcohol - it will impair your judgement
If you smoke be careful - a fire at sea can be disastrous
Always turn cooking gas bottles off at source when not in use.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER AND SEA CONDITIONS. SEEK SHELTER IN GOOD TIME

Do not press on regardless - make for a safe haven in good time.
If in doubt, call for help - don't wait until it's too late!
Remember - it is easier to find you and provide assistance in daylight than in darkness. An on-board GPS will provide invaluable position information should you ever need assistance. With the cost as low as it is, we strongly recommend that every boater have a GPS on board.

Posted by: Carla Olstrom

Carla, our Accounts Payable Administrator (a.k.a. – The Check Lady), has been with Hennessy Construction for nearly seven years. In addition to boating, Carla enjoys spending time spoiling her adorable nieces.

Hennessy Construction 90th Anniversary Celebration

2010-03-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

Employee Spotlight - John Crum

2010-02-26T08:27:00.001-05:00

European Vacation

2010-01-29T15:15:00.002-05:00

**NOTE: Due to a camera malfunction, the dates on the photos may not be accurate.

Many people have ideas of how they would like to commemorate a milestone birthday. I had no such plans for my 50th and was feeling a bit blue because I was going nowhere special or doing anything out of the ordinary for my birthday in April 2009. Imagine my surprise, when my birthday rolled around and I received an email from my old friend, Renate, who lives in Germany, not only inviting me over but gifting the whole trip to me for my birthday! I had to read the e-mail a few times before it sunk in.

I arrived in Frankfurt, Germany around 10:15 AM on September 19th. I breezed through Customs and found Renate waiting for me. We spent the next two hours on the road heading to our first destination – Heidelberg, Germany. We toured the Heidelberg Castle where we saw the biggest barrel ever made to contain beer or wine; strolled thru the town and had lunch in a beautiful garden restaurant and stopped for Italian ice cream. It was a lovely place. In one of the squares, Andre Riel, a violinist I’ve seen a few times on PBS, was setting up for a concert. Then it was time to head back to Renate’s home in Winnenden near Stuttgart. We spent the evening relaxing and having a barbecue with her family, which includes her husband Dr. Frank Marschall and her three lovely children.

Our real first day on the road took us to the Oktoberfest in Munich (spelled Munchen in Germany). Renate bought herself a beautiful traditional Bavarian dress and she bought me a traditional red checked blouse to wear for the event. We spent a few hours in Munich so I could get the full picture of an authentic German Oktoberfest. In addition to the specialty brewed beer, traditional German food and lots of happy singing people, there was also a big carnival going on. One day, I hope to go back to see the beautiful Schloss Nymphenburg Palace and some other interesting historic sites.

Our next stop would be an overnight stay in Fussen, Germany. The next day we had scheduled a tour of the Castle of Neuschwanstein, a famous castle built by King Ludwig II.

After the tour of the castle, we hit the road and headed for Austria. We stopped at one of the mountain top cafes for espresso and cake; a practice we would continue throughout the week during our lunch stops. We didn’t want to pass up the chance to take in the areas’ specialty desserts or coffee. After our quick stop in Austria we continued on to Italy, arriving later the same day. The weather was in the 70s so we traveled with the top of her convertible BMW down as much as possible during our drive on the autobahn during the week.

The scenery was not disappointing in any of the countries but especially going thru Italy. The view for miles and miles were of vineyards and several times I could see an old dilapidated castle, possibly centuries old, sitting at the top of a mountain or hill. After spending one night at the Villa Marcello, we took a train to Venice where we purchased an all day Canal pass which enabled us to explore the city via boat taxi. We made several stops up and down the Canal but our main destination was the San Marco Square where the Piazza and St. Mark’s Cathedral were located.

After a few hours in Venice, we headed to Lake Lugano, Switzerland where we would be spending the night, but not before a short stop at Lake Como that evening for ice cream sitting by the Lake at a Café. We had small hopes of having a peek at George Clooney strolling around before going over the border to Switzerland. George owns a villa in the area.

I will mention here that at every hotel we stayed at, no matter what floor we were on, the windows were opened for fresh air every night. I was a bit apprehensive at first but went along with this.

The next morning we left Switzerland and headed to France. During the drive, we came to a fork in our path as we neared exits for Lucerne and Zurich. We had the choice of driving through the longest tunnel built in a mountain or driving over the mountain. We chose driving over the mountain and I am so glad we did. I felt so close to the sky, I could have touched the clouds. We saw numerous farms of milking cows and goats along the way. I could certainly understand why Switzerland is famous for Swiss cheese and chocolate.

By this time in our trip, I had become very acclimated to the European lifestyle. I was downing cups of espresso and cappuccinos every day; along with glass after glass of mineral water. The one thing I refused to try was horsemeat even though it was on many of the menus in Italy.

The last leg of our journey took us to Strasbourg, France. We left Renate’s car in the hotel garage and took the fast train into Paris at 7:00 pm, a near 300 mile trip, in just over two hours. We took the underground train system to our hotel where we decided to rest for the evening.

The next morning after breakfast, we made our way to Notre Dame and bought souvenirs before arriving at the beginning of our bus tour. The tour was scheduled to take us all over the city. The really interesting part was that everyone had earplugs to wear on the ride. All I had to do was tune in the English speaking channel and I got a play by play of every stop we made. The tours final stop was at the Eiffel Tower. We made it up as far as the 2nd level.

Afterwards, Renate and I decided to tour the Rodin Museum, where in addition to seeing the famous statue “The Thinker,” we also ate in one of the outdoor cafes before making our way back to the train station. We took the fast train back to Strasbourg where we spent the night.

Strasbourg was our last full day and the most relaxing. We strolled through this idyllic, very clean, charming village, went through shops and had lunch at another outdoor cafe. The people and the town were such a wholesome lot, especially after being in dirty Paris. We toured the Norte Dame of Strasbourg and noticed a message in the cathedral that read, “In memory of the American Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and soldiers who gave their life to free Alsace.”

Later that evening, we went to Frankfurt and stayed in a hotel across from the airport. The next day, was one of the longest days of my life. I was up at 7:00 AM Frankfurt time to get ready for my plane flight and finally got in my car at the Tampa Airport and headed home around 11:00 PM. Doesn’t sound too bad until you factor in that my body was still on German time which meant for me it was 5:00 AM.

Posted by Julia Spalding

Julia, who recently celebrated her fifth anniversary with Hennessy Construction, spends her days multi-tasking her admistrative duties on multiple projects and usually for multiple project managers at a time. Despite the constant pressure of her work load, Julia takes everything in stride with her gentle Southern manner (despite the rumor and similarity of voice, she did not do the voiceover for the Geico Pothole). When not traveling around Europe, Julia enjoys spending her free time with her church small group, her friends and most importantly her twin teenage sons.

Employee Spotlight - Susie Stewart

2010-01-21T16:25:00.000-05:00

The Beauties of Africa

2010-01-18T16:24:00.001-05:00

Being a native of South Africa, I thought that these extraordinary images of magnificent wild animals of Eastern and Southern Africa would be of interest to some. I have always believed that a picture is worth a thousand words so I hope you enjoy. It is hard to fully appreciate these amazing creatures without actually visiting Africa and seeing them in the wild. I recommend that everyone try to include a trip to Africa, if possible, on your "bucket list." A trip to Africa would open your eyes so you can fully appreciate the unique continent and its wildlife. I strongly believe in doing whatever we can to protect this wild land and its inhabitants for future generations. Regrettably, not everyone feels that way. I recently met a man, here in Florida, who boasted that he had visited Southern Africa and shot some 35 elephants over the course of several trips. I don’t know about you, but I don’t view taking the life of an innocent, potentially endangered, animal as a fun vacation excursion, much less something to add to my trophy collection.

In the words of the photographer Nick Brandt:

"What I am interested in is showing these animals simply in the state of being before they no longer are and cease to exist in the wild. My images are my elegy to these beautiful creatures, to this wrenchingly beautiful world that is steadily, tragically vanishing before our eyes."

To view more pictures by Nick Brandt, click the following link. Young Gallery

Posted by: Dave Pigott

Dave, Senior Project Manager and LEED AP, has been with Hennessy for over eight years. In that time, he has worked on a variety of construction jobs, including numerous projects at Southeastern University in Lakeland and most recently at the Neuroscience Center in St. Petersburg and Christ the King Lutheran Church New Christian Ministry Center in Largo.

Giving

2010-01-11T11:52:00.000-05:00

On December 5, 2009, my wife and I joined over 100 other volunteers (including fellow HCS’ staffers Tom Canning, Penny Santner and her husband, Buzz) to participate in the YMCA Neighbor-to-Neighbor Christmas program. This was Christmas tree delivery day so we met at the Childs Park YMCA at 8:30 a.m. We were all given detailed instructions including maps to guide us to the homes of the adopted families that would each receive a Christmas tree, a tree stand, food gift cards, a bible, and a voucher for the family to attend Toy Box Night on December 23rd where the YMCA becomes Santa’s Toyshop and parents can come select gifts for their children from all of the donated toys.

As we waited for our delivery assignments, it was very gratifying to me to see all of the volunteers who gave up their morning to help brighten up a Christmas for a family that needed help. The people there came from all walks of life and all ages. Regardless of age or income, these were people who just wanted to give their time to do something that would help out another family.

The highlight of the morning was actually delivering the trees. My wife and I had fun navigating through areas of St. Pete I hadn’t been to for many, many years. Each house we delivered a tree to seemed to tell a different story but the common theme from those that received the trees was overwhelming appreciation. One house in particular stands out in my memory. After we knocked on this door, we were greeted by a mother and her approximately eighteen month old daughter. As we brought the tree into the house, the little girl reached up to my wife and gave her a big hug. That moment for me optimizes what the day was all about: making children happy.

The tree delivery day was the idea of former mayor Rick Baker and a few friends. It started out small with just a few families and a few volunteers but has now grown to delivering trees to 400 families in St. Petersburg. It was definitely the right way for us to start the Christmas season.

Christmas always brings out the giving nature in people and there are usually many opportunities to help others in need during this season. But volunteer opportunities like these exist year round. In fact, many organizations need the most help during the middle of the year. I would like to encourage anyone who can to find an opportunity to give. Whether it is your time, your talent, or your money, there are many ways available to help your fellow man. No matter how small or how insignificant you may think your help would be, it all makes a difference.

Posted by: Mark Stalker

Mark, who recently was promoted to Vice President of Hennessy Construction Services, has over 29 years of experience in the construction industry. His most notable project was his role as Project Manager of construction on Raymond James Stadium.

Tampa Bay Tarpon

2010-01-04T10:32:00.002-05:00

A few months ago, I had the good fortune to get a last minute invitation to fill two open slots for an afternoon of Tarpon fishing in Tampa Bay. As I’d never been tarpon fishing before, it sounded like a fun afternoon on the water and an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

My son, Nick, a USF student filled the second slot. He’s a fishing & hunting nut so I knew he’d fit right in. We arrived at the boat ramp late afternoon to torrential rain, not a good sign. During a break in the rain, we made a run out on the bay but were quickly chased back in by lightning on the horizon. Finally the weather broke and we were able to get to our spot. The tide was flushing crabs out of the bay and it was Nick’s and my job to net up as much what we could for bait.

After anchoring the boat and getting a couple of lines in the water, we had a fish on in a matter of minutes. Nick was first up and being coached by the experts on how to fight the Tarpon. Unfortunately, he had a left handed reel and was straining to keep control. When the fished jumped I realized why he was getting tired. This fish was unlike anything I had ever seen. The experts guessed its weight at well over 100 pounds. Having been a fresh water fisherman all my life, a 30 pound fish is a monster to me. We put up a good fight but after 20 minutes of working the fish in close to the boat, we snapped the leader and the tarpon was gone. Two tarpon hook-ups later, we outlasted the fish & brought one to the boat for its close-up.

What a day! Nick said it was his best fishing experience ever. We agreed its something we would definitely try again.

Posted by: Sid Talsma

Sid, a LEED AP and Senior Project Manager with Hennessy, has been a vital part of the Hennessy team for the last three and a half years. Sid is currently working in the field at Hennessy's largest project ever the Pinellas County Public Works Emergency Responders building.

Tips for Successful New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-31T11:04:00.000-05:00

As the end of 2009 draws to a close, Hennessy Construction is busier than ever. Our accounting department is preparing for their year end processes. Our project management and superintendent staff is pushing their projects through the hectic and often unpredictable holiday schedule. Our business development and estimating team is working to create a substantial back log of work for the New Year. The year 2010 marks Hennessy’s 90th year in business and promises to be a very prosperous and memorable time. As a business, we are setting goals for not only what we want to accomplish during the next 365 days, but also the ways that we want to honor to people and projects of the past 90 years.

The New Year represents fresh starts, a time of change and is a time for goal setting not only for businesses but for individuals. Many of us, like the rest of the world, are thinking of what New Year’s Resolutions we will be making. At one time or another, every one of us has experienced the excitement and hope of the New Year, only to be followed by guilt and disappointment when we failed to keep the lofty resolutions we set for ourselves. With that in mind, please consider these tips for how to make resolutions. We don’t guarantee that you’ll keep your resolutions, but we do promise that by using these steps you will have a much better chance of success.

1. Set a realistic number of goals.
2. Be specific.
3. Have a plan.
4. Be accountable.

SET YOUR GOAL

You want to lose weight? Save money? Learn a new language? Spend more time gardening? Quit smoking? Whatever your goals are for the New Year, keep your lifestyle and stress level in mind. If your goals are to lose weight, quit smoking, cut down on coffee and chocolate and start an exercise program, you might be setting yourself up for failure by taking on too many resolutions at the same time. Prioritize and set a reasonable number of goals for yourself. Perhaps start by quitting smoking in January and setting another goal to start an exercise program by March.

BE SPECIFIC
Having too much wiggle room in your goals is a surefire way to fall off the wagon. Setting a goal to save money is not specific enough to insulate yourself from failure. In this case, you would need to seriously review your finances and decide how much money can you safely put away each week and then set your goal. Specific goals are more likely to be kept than general goals. So instead of saying you want to “save money,” make a resolution to save $1,000.00 by the end of the year. Sock away just $20 a week and your goal will be realized.

HAVE A PLAN

By making your resolution specific you have brought yourself one step closer to a goal that you will be able to keep. Now you have to consider what your method will be to achieving your goal. Just as “saving money” or “losing weight” are too general to be effective, making a goal with no plan on how to achieve that goal is setting yourself up for failure. To continue the example of “saving money,” you need to consider what will be the best way for you to sock away that $20 each week. Perhaps, you could put it into a Christmas club type account at your bank where you cannot withdraw the money until December. Perhaps you could have the $20 direct deposited to a new account at an out of the way bank to make withdrawing the money as inconvenient as possible. Just be sure to cut up any ATM or Debit cards linked to that account. As a last resort, you could always get two rolls of quarters each week and store them in a safe deposit box or a piggy bank hidden at the back of your closet. Regardless of your goal, having a plan is a necessity if you want to be successful.

BE ACCOUNTABLE

Find a trusted friend or family member and confide in them your important resolution. Your “accountability partner” should check in with you on a regular basis to make sure you are staying on track. Before selecting the person you want to be accountable to, consider what type of personality will be the best to help you through the temptation. All worthy resolutions come with their own set of temptations to pull you off the proverbial wagon so having someone to be accountable to will help you move through those times of temptation and keep you on track. Some people may need someone who is a good and sympathetic listener while other people might need someone willing to slap the fork out of your hand right before you dig into the extra large slice of chocolate cake.

By following these four simple steps you will be well on your way to sticking to your New Year’s Resolution and make a real change in your life.

Hennessy Construction Services wishes everyone a happy, safe and prosperous New Year.

Posted by: Debbie Armour

Debbie has been a part of the Hennessy team for nearly seven years. After nearly four years working as a Field Administrative Assistant, Debbie has been a vital part of some of our most impressive projects including the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority Transportation Management Building in Tampa and the addition of the Hazel Hough Wing at the St. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts. She has been back in the main office since early 2008 where she multitasks between her duties as Webmaster, Administrative Assistant, DPO Administrator and Receptionist, as well as maintaining Hennessy's social media apps and acting as a producer on Hennessy's video projects.

Jamaica Bound

2009-12-28T10:41:00.002-05:00

On March 20, 2010, my daughter and about 20 other students from Indian Rocks Christian School (IRCS) will be Jamaica Bound. IRCS is involved with the American-Caribbean Experience, better known as A.C.E., which is a non-profit Christian organization that takes American youth to developing countries where they can use their talents, leadership skills and resources in a positive way helping those less fortunate. The team from IRCS will have a chance to encourage the Jamaican youth towards better futures through educational workshops, building schools and mentoring younger children.

It is a vacation with a purpose where the American students get to interact with the Jamaican youth in sports, sharing meals, playing games and getting to know them on a one-on-one basis. Many of the students went on this trip last school year are returning again. They had such eye-opening, heart-felt experiences that they felt compelled to return again. IRCS is involved with many organizations allowing the high school students to go every year to various places both in the United States as well as other countries bringing hope, help, leadership and a sense of well-being to poverty stricken communities.

The students from IRCS work very hard to earn the money necessary for the trip relying on donations from friends and family, as well as holding garage sales, car washes, working at the school’s thrift store and other various fund raisers. In addition to the financial fundraising, the students are required to attend team trainings, six of eight bible studies and be involved in at least three of the four community service projects scheduled each year in order to be eligible to go on the trip. This is a wonderful opportunity for our youth to learn that giving from the heart is one of the best gifts you can give.

The American-Caribbean Experience website also features a video that the IRCS kids made last year during their trip to Jamaica. The Board of Directors from A.C.E. liked the video so much they put it on their website as an advertisement for others to view and see what kids can actually do and how their presence helped the people of Jamaica. The website is www.acexperience.org , click on “Gallery” tab, then scroll down to ACE Video tab and there you can view the video.

The American youth of today have the ability to help the youth of poverty stricken countries become positive, strong, intelligent leaders that can bring their communities into a better economic environment allowing the future of their homeland to not just survive but thrive.

Posted by: Deb McWilliams

Deb celebrated her third anniversary with Hennessy this past October. As an Administrative Assistant, she supports multiple Project Managers and juggles her wide variety of duties with her every present sunny disposition. Deb is currently working as a Field Admin at our Westminster Shores Palm View project in South St. Petersburg.

Bronson Alexander explains Hennessy's 90 years of Success

2009-11-23T08:48:00.001-05:00

Why has Hennessy Construction Services succeeded for nearly 90 years and thrived over the past decade?

RELATIONSHIPS!

Our Company culture has a unique and comfortable feel to it. What I mean is that from the minute a Client or potential Client walks through the front door, it feels like a family business, a place where you trust people, a place where people listen to each other, a place where everyone is treated with respect and a place where people value the business relationship. Clients see that we all interact well together, that we are friends working together for the good of the company and they also notice that we work hard and intelligently for the benefit of their project.

Clients love this about us. They want to be a part of it and enjoy the heck out of this family feeling when they work with us. It is my belief that this all started with the Hennessy family and was nurtured by them for decades as the entire company, including the field crew, was one big happy family.

I believe our greatest strength is not only the bond we build with Clients by demonstrating how skillfully we can guide them through the construction delivery process but, also, in the warm and caring way we strive to build a long lasting relationship with them.

Relationships are carrying Hennessy through these tough economic times just as they have for the previous 90 years.

Posted by: Bronson Alexander

In his 20+ years with Hennessy Construction, Bronson has worked his way from a Project Manager to President before purchasing the company a decade ago. In his free time, Bronson enjoys fishing, cycling and taking in Boston Red Sox's games with his wife Mary and their children.

“The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.” - Edward Gibbon

2009-11-18T09:40:00.001-05:00

It doesn’t take long for most people that I associate with to learn of my love of the water. I’m not a dedicated “stink potter” nor a “rag boater” but I do enjoy all aspects from spear fishing, cruising, and fishing, to my real passion of racing sailboats offshore. My racing hobby has provided me with the opportunity to meet many interesting people and to visit ports that I probably would never have been able to see. I’ve been able to race to the Keys many times, Mexico a half dozen times, Jamaica a couple times, Cuba four times and even did a transatlantic delivery. The art of racing combines many skills. When you finally master the physical end of making the boat move, then you learn navigation and finally tactics. It is an endless loop that no one ever truly masters.

Most people question me about the “bad” storms and literally fighting for your life while still racing. This is not NASCAR, there is no one to help when you break things (and things always are breaking). One bad storm occurred three years ago during the 900 mile Pineapple Cup that leaves Ft. Lauderdale, goes around the Bahamas, passing Haiti and Cuba and ends in Jamaica. With no jib, a double reefed main and blowing 60 knots we were still racing and reached a staggering 28 knots on a 40’ boat. The comparison would be driving your car with zero visibility, on ice at 120 mph.

The opposite is just as trying. Ghosting along in less than 5 knots of wind, reading the current, studying the cumulus clouds for any sign of a developing sea breeze. A crew that is grumbing and wants to quit. These are the conditions where more races are lost than in big air.

My father worked his way up in the steel mills from entry level up to management. When Republic was having tough times in the 70’s, my father’s boss (who raced sailboats) started one of his meetings quoting “The wind and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigator.” This quote has stuck with me my entire adult life, trying to apply just the right amount of balance. The analogies to construction are obvious. There really isn’t anyone out there to give you a pit stop. You must be able to survive the good times by not over indulging, buying frivolous machines or over hiring, and then when the “lull” comes to be just as aggressive, not giving up because of the lack of “wind” but continue to study the signs that will make you perform better than the rest.

Thank you Dad for giving me my first compass in life.

Posted by Mark McClearnon

Senior Project Superintendent Mark McClearnon has spent his ten years with Hennessy building a reputation of excellence and is often our go-to guy for our most difficult and challenging projects. As you can tell from his blog, he spends a great deal of his free time on the water and is a crucial part of Hennessy's annual Kingfish tournament.

Cold Vs. H1N1 Flu

2009-11-09T08:41:00.001-05:00

Know the Difference between a Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms:

Symptom	Cold	H1N1 Flu
Fever	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the H1N1 flu.
Coughing	A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the H1N1 flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough)..
Aches	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Severe aches and pains are common with the H1N1 flu.
Stuffy Nose	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.
Chills	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	60% of people who have theH1N1 flu experience chills.
Tiredness	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with the H1N1 flu.
Sneezing	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold.	Sneezing is not common with theH1N1 flu.
Sudden Symptoms	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	The H1N1 flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is very common with the H1N1 flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is not commonly present with the H1N1 flu.
Chest Discomfort	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is often severe with the H1N1 flu.

The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.

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Precautions to stop the spread of H1N1

    The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

    While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

     1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

    2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless are eating or bathing).

     3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't under estimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

    4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. *Not everybody may be good at using a Neti pot, but *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton swabs dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

    5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

    6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Thanks to Alan Lukas for finding these great tips to keep us all healthy during the flu season.

Blues Masters at the Cross Roads

2009-11-02T12:03:00.002-05:00

Two of my main passions in life are traveling and music. I recently was able to combine the two in a whirlwind weekend to Salina, Kansas. Salina, a small town of 50,000 folks in the heart of Kansas at the crossroads Interstates 30 and 35, is home to the Blues Masters at the Crossroads festival.

I learned about the festival a few years ago from fellow HCS employee and music lover, Tom Canning. Tom is more than just your average music lover; he’s an audiophile who’s passionate about high quality vinyl pressings. In the age of CDs and digital downloads, vinyl is a distant memory to most of us and a completely foreign concept to today’s youth. Tom’s been purchasing his vinyl from a small music house in Salina for years. Acoustic Sounds has built a reputation on re-mastering all kinds of music onto high quality vinyl, focusing particularly on old Blues artists.

Approximately 15 years ago, Acoustic Sounds bought an old abandoned church in Salina with the intention of using it as a warehouse for the vinyl catalog. However, these guys being sound engineer types realized that the church had extremely good acoustics. They ran tests on the building and found that the acoustics were similar to Abbey Road Studios in London where the Beatles recorded many of their albums. Instead of turning the church into the warehouse, the guys at Acoustic Sounds put a recording booth in the back and used the altar for a stage. This lead to the brilliant decision to bring in the old blues masters to record them live instead of re-mastering.

One thing lead to another and Acoustic Sounds created the Blues Masters at the Crossroads festival which is a weekend long Blues concert every October. Tom and I had been talking about taking this trip for years but this year things finally fell into place.

In addition to Tom and myself, my old college dorm mates Tommy Barrow and Bryant Miller joined us. Bryant lives in Kansas City now with his family so after a short flight to Atlanta to pick up Tommy, the three of us flew to Kansas City. Bryant picked us up at the airport and after a much needed run by a local Kansas City Barbecue joint to secure some dinner (Burnt Ends for me), we crashed at the Miller house for the night.

The next morning, we met one of Bryant’s sons and said our goodbyes to him and Bryant’s wife as they would not be joining us for the remainder of our guys’ weekend. Our trip toward Salina led us west through the tall grass prairie and the Flint Hills. Beautiful, rolling countryside, full of hawks and from the looks of it there won’t be any soybean shortage in the near future.

We made a pit stop at Kansas State University to meet Bryant’s other son, a computer whiz who is working on a program in conjunction with Stanford University regarding “folding proteins.” I have no idea what “folding proteins” is but he did show us some pictures on his computer, which he built himself. Like I said he’s a computer whiz. “Folding proteins” turned into a punch line of sorts for the rest of the trip. You had to be there.

It was late Friday afternoon when we pulled up to the church in Salina where the concert was to be. We snuck in the side door to get a look and nobody seemed to care. The vibe was very casual and laid back. When we finally queued up in the line out front we realized that we were one of the few first-timers’. Most of the folks were from nearby Wichita or Kansas City and they were all extremely nice, like small town mid-western nice, like Twilight Zone nice.

We got seats in the second row and in between sets, you could go down to the big basement where all the musicians were hanging around. It was like a big “Meet and Greet,” but very casual with no pretensions. Everyone was happy to be playing and jamming together. Saturday night was the same.

The music was a whole ‘nother story. From 94 year old Honeyboy Edwards, to 18 year old monster axeman Marquise Knox, the Blues Masters were truly at the Crossroads. This was the Blues in its truest form from singular flat-picking Delta style to electric Chicago to hard Texas shuffling to Zydeco.

I don’t have the musical knowledge to write about it coherently (like folding proteins) but I know it felt good and you knew you were hearing the blues being mastered.

It’s already got me thinking about next year. In addition to being an audiophile, Tom Canning is also a great photographer. Below are just a few of the hundreds of photos taken over the course of the weekend. If you are interested in learning more about the festival or the music, do a search on Youtube for the artists and I guarantee you’ll be impressed.

Posted by Robert Gibson

Robert, a Senior Project Manager and LEED AP, began his career with Hennessy nearly 15 years ago as a Project Superintendent. In addition to his love of travel and music, Robert is an avid fisherman who makes a mean smoked Kingfish spread.

The old converted church where the festival took place.

Tommy Barrow, Robert Gibson and Bryant Miller in front of the stage. Tom Canning was behind the camera.

Marquise Knox (18) and Honeyboy Edwards (94)

Major Handy and band (including their 16 year old drummer)

Marquise Knox with Major Handy's band playing in front of the stained glass windows of the arch way.

Tommy, Robert and Bryant jamming at the hotel after the festival.

The Weigh I Was

2009-10-19T11:48:00.000-04:00

On a great spring day in May 2008, my son, Justin, and I, doing some father-son bonding, enjoyed an afternoon at Tropicana Field watching a Tampa Bay Ray’s pre-season game. While enjoying a drink at the Brew House, I asked the bartender to snap a picture of us to capture the moment. After a long evening of drinking numerous 40 oz Bud Lights and eating two buckets of butter-drenched popcorn, we decided to call it a night. The next day I synced my pictures with my laptop and was horrified by the image that appeared before me. The person in the picture look nothing like the reflection I saw every morning in the mirror. The person in the picture was a 40-year-old fat guy who was oblivious to anything healthy. A guy living with the notion that he was still a 20-something and need not worry about heart disease, diabetes or cholesterol.

I decided to evaluate my daily eating habits and was shocked with the results. I would start my day with four cups of coffee, supplemented with chips and donuts, instead of a balanced breakfast. That led nicely into a lunch full of deep-fried, high-calorie, fast food from McDonalds, further clogging the arteries. In the evening, my unhealthy diet slipped into high gear: a big, fatty steak, loaded baked potato and lots of bread. I would wash this down with either two or three Black Russians or a six-pack of beer.

Without noticing it my weight had swelled from 160 lbs to a whopping 227 lbs. This would not be so bad if I was 6’ 3”, but I am 5’ 7.” Looking at this picture of the real me, I realized my body was starting to resemble a Hershey’s Kiss . . . not very attractive. Every day tasks, such as tying my shoes, climbing a flight of stairs, or just walking around my job site, left me winded.

I decided it was time a change.

At the time, I had just started a new project for The Salvation Army, which was scheduled to complete in eight months. Also, around the same time Hennessy started a corporate membership discount for employees wanting to join the YMCA. I convinced myself that I could do this. If I would start a regimen of diet and exercise, I would be at my goal weight by the time I finished the construction project.
I started the same way we all do - with the kitchen purge. To eliminate all temptations, I threw away all the “bad” food in my cupboards and went to the grocery store to purchase every diet and health food I could find. This is the same process I took with every diet attempt. As Albert Einstein once said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Fortunately, for me, this time would be different.

It was near the beginning of my new regimen that I received a visit from a subcontractor that had lost a very noticeable amount of weight. He shared his success story with me and, before the day ended, I had made an appointment with Dr. Cesar Lara.

The weight loss program prescribed to me was different than any I had tried in the past and the results were virtually immediate. I’ll be honest, the first couple of weeks were difficult, but it paid off. At my first weigh in I had lost 12 lbs! All of a sudden the size 40” pants were falling off of me and the size 38” pants fit comfortably.

At that point, I knew I could really do this. I thought it would be easy at first. Twelve pounds in one week would put me at my goal weight in just six short weeks!

Well, that wasn’t the case. It was a lot of work. I started an exercise regimen combined with the assigned diet from Dr. Lara. In a very short amount of time, I noticed that the aches and pains I used to wake up with every morning were gone; I no longer got winded doing everyday tasks; and my body was changing before my very eyes.

I reached my goal weight of 163 lbs. in six months and was ready to try out my new lifestyle change without the aid of Dr. Lara. I am proud to announce that after a year I am still within the guidelines I have set for myself and have not noticed a weight gain.

Today I eat a sensible breakfast within 20 minutes of waking up, a healthy snack around 9am, a lunch void of fast food, another healthy snack in the mid-afternoon, and a satisfying, but properly portioned, dinner around 5pm. I don’t work out as often as I’d like due to my work schedule, but I am still trying to get to the gym three times a week.

All of the changes in my body have drastically improved not only my self esteem and my work attitude, but also eliminated the need for medication to control my cholesterol and blood pressure. I feel like a new man. My energy level is radically improved. In this time of poor investments, this is by far the best investment I’ve ever made.

Posted by Al Marr

Al Marr’s impressive weight loss continues to inspire his co-workers. One co-worker after another has signed on with Dr. Lara due in large part to Al’s story and encouragement. To date, Al and his fellow weight loss buddies have lost a total of 300 pounds and counting.

How I Learned to Love Sweating

2009-10-12T08:29:00.000-04:00

Exercising has always been something I avoid at all costs. Sweating was a “no-no”. However, last year my blossoming frame indicated that a change of opinion regarding the dreaded eight-letter word “EXERCISE” would be necessary.

In October 2008, I started a doctor-supervised weight-loss program and from the start had great success dropping ten pounds the first week. Week after week, two to four pounds would drop off and I started to feel better. This was happening even without exercise.

Honestly, I had never even set foot in a gym except in school, which I might add was mandatory. I did take a tour of the Jim & Heather Gills’ YMCA building on 1st Avenue South after Hennessy completed building it back in 2001. It’s become common practice at Hennessy for office employees to be given an opportunity to tour our larger projects as they near completion. I have always found it very rewarding to see what a great job our people do. As I said though, this was just a tour so I don’t really count that as being in a gym. Not once during the tour or in the years since had I thought about joining.

Around the same time that I started my weight loss plan, Hennessy started offering a corporate YMCA membership at a reduced rate of half price to all employees interested. I decided that this must be some kind of sign. So with great trepidation, I joined the YMCA in November 2008. It took me until February 2009 to actually set foot into the building though. I like to think of the membership fees paid during those first four months as donations to a very worthy cause. After all, I was still dropping pounds every week on my weight loss plan.

The first time I walked into the gym area and had an employee show me the ropes, I couldn’t have been more intimidated. Here’s this young, fit person showing the out-of-shape, mature lady how to ride a recumbent bike and work the treadmill. I really felt like the new kid in school and was very self conscious. But I was determined to make this work.

I started out slow: 20 minutes of cardio, three times per week. After all, the fitness gurus’ always say that you MUST do at least that much in order to notice any benefit. It about killed me. Slowly, (and I do mean SLOWLY) but surely, I began to increase my workout times and add strength training. I started out going every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I have since “upped the ante” to 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of weight resistance training on those days. Now I even try to go on Tuesdays and Thursdays for an extra 45 minutes of cardio.

That’s five days a week! If anyone had told me a year ago that I would be going to the YMCA five days a week, I would have laughed in their face. “No way! Not me!” Now, I LOVE IT! If I don’t go, I feel guilty and I can feel the difference in my body. It is true that exercise does make you feel better and gives you more energy. I always walk out feeling better than when I walked in, a concept no one could have convinced me of until I experienced it for myself.

All of the inhibitions I had when I first started going are gone and I have made friends that I see everyday. The YMCA is a beautiful facility and offers something for everyone, no matter their fitness level. There are people from all walks of life, all shapes and sizes, old and young, male and female, and even handicapped people. It’s really an inspiration to see a person in a wheel chair workout.

I really do love the YMCA. Every time I walk in I feel a certain amount of pride in myself for how well I am doing and in the fact that the company I work for built it so beautifully. Boy, I sound like a commercial. I guess I just wanted to encourage everyone to exercise. You will feel better and you’ll be doing yourself some good along the way. I, for one, am now a convert. Those that know me will corroborate that this is nothing short of a miracle.

Posted by: Moira Dietrichsen

Moira, our Staff Account, is approaching her 18th anniversary with Hennessy Construction. In the nearly two decades that she has been here, Moira has worked in a variety of accounting areas, including Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Owner Direct Purchase Program Administrator, Payroll, and 401k Administrator. Moira, another Hennessy pet advocate, shares her life and her home with her husband, Bob and several four-legged friends.

The Mighty Mississippi

2009-10-05T08:38:00.000-04:00

I had always thought of the Mississippi River as a swirling river of turbid water with barges and tugboats carrying commerce between the Northern and Southern states reminiscent of the stories Mark Twain. I imagine most of us have that same image. However, I learned a great deal more during a recent vacation with my wife, Candy.

In preparation for our vacation to the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Candy and I read up on a variety of things. In our reading, we learned that the origin of the Mississippi River starts in Minnesota’s Itasca State Park. The birth of the river starts as an out flow of Lake Itasca and its surrounding water shed. We quickly marked this spot as one of our destinations for the vacation. It was a 1,850 drive to get there.
Upon arriving, we found that the water was as different from my impression of the Mississippi River as possible. It’s crystal clear, about knee deep and only 40’ wide. Candy and I took off our shoes and waded across the river through stones, wondering about all the things that would find their way into the river on its meandering 2,340 mile, 90-day trip to the Gulf of Mexico. The river drops 1,475 foot in altitude between where it begins in Lake Itasca, Minnesota and where it spills into the Gulf of Mexico.

After exiting the Park, the river flows to Lake Bemidji then on to Lake Cass. Lake Cass is unique in that it has an island in the middle of the lake with another 20+ acre lake in the middle of that island. Supposedly, this is the only place in North America with that geography.

On the remainder of the Mighty Mississippi’s trip south, it touches ten states and picks up the inflows of a great number of rivers including the Minnesota, Saulk, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas rivers to name a few.

Another interesting fact about the Mississippi River is that it’s only the 5th largest flowing river in the world with only 9% of the flow of the Amazon River. For you construction guys, the flow comparison would be if the Mississippi River was a 10” pipe then the Amazon River would be a 33” pipe (if such a thing existed).

Posted by Richard Frey

Richard began his long career with Hennessy in 1982. Fresh from school, he worked in the fields doing everything from shoveling dirt to concrete formwork. After a mere 6 months in the field, Richard was promoted to Project Engineer. He worked on three of the FPC 500kv substations in Central Florida. After that, he made his move into the main office where he did quantity surveys and started learning the ins and outs of Estimating. In 1990, Richard became our Chief Estimator; a position he’s held for nearly twenty years.

The Ins and Outs of Florida Construction Lien Law

2009-09-25T15:24:00.001-04:00

Per the Florida Construction Lien Law, any company who works on a property or provides materials (aka lienors) and are not paid in full have a right to enforce their claim for payment against the property. This claim is known as a construction lien. If a contractor fails to pay subcontractors or material suppliers, those who are owed money may look to the property to secure payment, even if the contractor has been paid in full.

Notice of Commencement
The first notice required is the Notice of Commencement (N.O.C.) which notes the intent to begin improvements, the legal description of the property, description of the work and the amount of bond, if any. It also identifies the property owner, contractor, surety, lender and other pertinent information. Failure to record a Notice of Commencement or incorrect information on the N.O.C. could contribute to the owner having to pay twice for the same work or materials. The owner has sole responsibility for preparing and recording the notice. If an owner fails to properly record a Notice of Commencement, liens will have priority in the order in which they are recorded.

There are three major deadlines that must be complied with in order to protect and perfect lien rights in Florida. Those deadlines involve serving the preliminary notice, recording a claim of lien and filing suit to foreclose a claim of lien.

Notice to Owner
Prior to filing a lien, a Notice to Owner must be served to the owner. The Notice to Owner must state the lienor’s name and address and a description of the real property and the nature of the services or materials being supplied. The Notice to Owner must be served prior to or within 45 days of commencing work or providing services or materials. A lien cannot be enforced unless the lienor has served the Notice to Owner within the legal time frame.

Partial and Final Releases
The owner can stipulate in the contractual agreement with the contractor that the contractor must provide all releases of lien. Partial releases should be required for monthly draws and a final release upon final payment. Subcontractors on Hennessy Construction Services’ projects are required to provide releases from any sub-subcontractors or suppliers that have filed a Notice to Owner under them. Statutory release forms have been added to the laws governing private and public construction projects. Although the law permits a lienor to use different forms of their own choosing, it prohibits anyone from forcing a lienor to use a different form.

Who can Claim a Lien on Property?
Contractors, laborers, material suppliers, subcontractors and professionals such as architects, designers, engineers or land surveyors all have the right to file a claim of lien for work or materials. The Claim of Lien may be recorded at any time during the progress of work, but must be recorded no later than 90 days from the date the last materials, labor or services were provided. The Claim of Lien must also be served to the owner and any other proper parties within 15 days of its recording.

Contesting a Lien
A lien is valid for one year, unless a lienor files a lawsuit to enforce the lien prior to the expiration of the year. An owner has a right to file a Notice of Contest of Lien during the one year period. Upon the filing of a Notice of Contest of Lien, a lienor must file a lawsuit to enforce the lien within 60 days. Failure to timely file a lawsuit renders the lien invalid.

This is a brief overview of Florida’s Construction Lien Law. The Construction Lien Law is complex and cannot be covered completely in this document. If you have any questions or whenever a specific problem arises consult an attorney.

Posted by: Carla Olstrom

As our Accounts Payable Administrator (a.k.a. – The Check Lady), Carla has been fielding questions on Florida Lien Law on a near daily basis during her six years with Hennessy. Her attention to detail and “by the book” adherence to Florida lien law helps protect Hennessy, our clients, and subcontractors from any possible pitfalls. She balances this hectic workload by spending her free time with her large group of family and friends.

In Remembrance of September 1th

2009-09-11T16:15:00.003-04:00

There are few Americans who cannot recount with absolute clarity where they were on the morning of September 11, 2001. In remembrance of the tragic events of eight years ago today, some of the Hennessy staff took a few minutes to reflect on where they where and how they felt when they first learned about the terrorists attacks.

"I remember that morning, as I was in my junior year of college, patiently waiting for the clock to get a little closer to 9:00 am before putting two hours worth of change into the parking meter since I had a two hour class to attend. As I sat in my car waiting for class, I heard about what had happened over the radio. I remember my immediate reaction being “this can’t be real…it has to be a joke.” Once I finally went into class, the severity of it really stuck me. My professor preached to all of us that we would always remember that day…to go home and watch what was happening on the television for two hours and to call our families and friends. By the time I walked to my college home, my other four roommates were already there watching everything on the television. We were all just astounded at what was happening."

Brad Kunz, Project Manager

“I was on a job site in Michigan when my site subcontractor drove on to the job and told me that a plane hit the world trade center. I drove to my mother’s house a ½ mile away and watched with horror as the events unfolded on live TV. Like most Americans, it was a very dramatic day in my life.”
Al Marr, Project Superintendent

“I was working in Sarasota about ten minutes from where President Bush was visiting an Emma E. Booker Elementary School. There were all kinds of road blockage and extra traffic on the way to work that morning due to the President’s close proximity. I remember I was listening to the radio when I first heard that a plane had just hit one of the Twin Towers. At first I thought it was a joke so I turned on the TV that we had in our conference room in hopes of finding out that it was some stupid radio prank. I was shocked by seeing the video footage being replayed over and over. None of my co-workers had radios on so I quickly spread the word and we all gathered in front of the TV. None of us got anymore work done that day as we were glued to the TV. I also remember being scared to death and phoning my daughter’s school to be sure they were all okay. All I wanted was to pick her up and just hold her close. I did not lose anyone that day, but my girlfriend lost a cousin when the World Trade Center collapsed.”
Deb McWilliams, Administrative Assistant

“I was a freshman in college at the time and was walking to class when I first heard the news. Classes were immediately cancelled for the rest of the day. I remember not knowing what to think or how to feel because it felt so unreal and so far away. Thanks to the great media coverage, it really helped me, and I imagine the rest of America, realize how truly close to home this tragedy was. It was a reminder to never take things for granted.”
Stephen Marano, Assistant Project Manager

“I was on a construction site working on the punch. We had the televisions already turned on as we were adjusting the displays and getting the surround sound tuned in. The news broke about the first plane along with the speculation of the incident being an accident. When the second plane crashed, everyone at the construction site stopped working and everybody watched the news unfold. I did not know anyone there, but I was still amazed and astonished.”
Ken Nielson, Project Superintendent

“I was at work, here at Hennessy, when my husband, Bob, called me and said that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. I couldn’t believe it and went into Bronson’s (President of Hennessy Construction Services) office where he had a small television and we turned it on. I was stunned. As we were looking at the carnage from the first plane, we watched in total disbelief as the second plane crashed. I remember feeling very insecure and vulnerable.”
Moira Dietrichsen, Staff Accountant

“I was at a Verizon jobsite in Tampa taking down an old communication tower. It wasn’t until late morning when I called fellow Superintendent, Bill McClung to ask him a work related question. Bill’s response was “You haven’t listened to the news yet, have you?” By mid-afternoon, we were instructed by Verizon to not have personnel on site the next day unless it was an emergency. It wasn’t until that evening that I finally was able to watch the television coverage. The whole thing seemed so unreal.”
Ron Laforest, Project Superintendent

“I was working at the Jim and Heather Gill’s YMCA doing punch list work. The security cameras were being installed when Robert Gibson, the Project Manager, arrived at the job site. He had just received a phone call alerting him to the first plane crash. The whole crew immediately stopped working and huddled around the small nine inch black and white television that the Security subcontractor was using to test the security cameras. Before long, everyone in the building was squeezed into a small office watching the news on this tiny TV. Numb is the only word I can think of to describe how I was feeling watching the news that day.”
John Poloney, Project Engineer

“Like most of us, I was at work. I had been expecting our cell phone representative, Tim Simone, to stop by that morning and when he came in my office, he didn’t offer any type of greeting but immediately began talking about something bad that had happened in New York City . . . something about an airplane had hit a building . . . and don’t we have a radio and television somewhere in the office. Bronson turned on the television in his office only to discover another airplane had hit another building. That is when we learned that it was the World Trade Center then the news on Flight 93 started. Then the Pentagon. It all seemed to be happening so fast. But at the same time, it seemed as though time stood still – and the images just kept repeating over and over again. I did not lose anyone nor did I personally know anyone who did; however, like most of us, 9/11 was very personal to me. America, by its own definition, is like the neighbor who always has his door open to welcome most everyone, so when one guest becomes violent it shakes you to the core.”
Penny Santner, Office Manager

“I was working for M.B. Kahn Construction in Greenville, SC. Someone always had a radio on so when we heard the news, all the televisions in the office started coming on. We kept watching, working, watching and going into deep shock every time a new attack was announced. I got the chills watching the news. It really felt like you were watching some end of the world movie but worse because you knew it was real.”
Julia Spalding, Administrative Assistant

“Unlike most of America, I was not at work that morning. I was between jobs at the time and honestly, hadn’t quite made it out of bed yet. I got a phone call from my father asking me if I was watching television. He was so focused on the news that he didn’t take the time to explain what was happening and just told me to turn on the TV. By the time I got the television turned on both the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center had planes buried in them. My fiancé called me shortly after the buildings started to collapse and I remember wishing he’d come home because it felt like the world was ending. I didn’t know anyone who lost their lives that day, but I remember crying over the tragedy. The day passed in a blur of horrible images and I was still in bed glued to the television when my fiancé finally got home that afternoon.”
Debbie Armour, Administrative Assistant