Author: Nol Allen

Friday, May 7, 2010 San Antonio Business Journal – by Tricia Lynn Silva

Work has begun on the latest, and largest, solar-energy project in greater San Antonio.

Yantis Co. and KFW Engineers and Surveying, both based in San Antonio, recently started construction on what is known as the Blue Wing Solar project. The development calls for the installation of 214,000 solar photovoltaic modules, or solar panels.

These panels will be installed on a site of roughly 140 acres along the intersection of Interstate Highway 37 and U.S. Highway 181, just southeast of San Antonio, explains Cris Eugster, executive vice president and sustainability officer for CPS Energy — which is creating the solar farm in partnership with Boulder, Colo.-based juwi solar Inc., a developer of solar, wind and biomass power plants.

Yantis, a general contracting firm, is providing the site work for the project. KFW is the civil engineer.

The farm is slated to be up and generating solar power for the San Antonio area this year, Eugster says.

In the past, Eugster adds, CPS Energy has not invested heavily in solar energy. Prior to Blue Wing, the largest solar-power project was the 200-kilowatt system installed on the roof of the Full Goods Building at the Pearl Brewery site near downtown San Antonio — a joint development between CPS Energy and Silver Ventures.

The Blue Wing solar farm, Eugster says, is representative of CPS Energy’s long-term investment in some newer technologies — like renewable energy sources — for the purpose of providing an affordable source of energy to the community.

Blue Wing is also a vast departure from the kinds of projects that Yantis and KFW have worked on in the past, say Paul Basaldua and George Weron of Yantis and KFW, respectively.

But this non-traditional project has also come with a unique set of challenges.

“There were no (building) codes to speak of on how to develop (the solar farm),” says Weron, a cofounder of KFW.

Weron gives credit to both City of San Antonio and Bexar County leaders for their help in coming up with the development codes for the solar farm. That work, he adds, will not only serve Blue Wing, but will be vital to future solar-power projects that could be created in San Antonio.

“We are serving as pioneers (for solar-power development,)” he adds.

“To be on the cutting edge of the development industry, we want to be a part of that,” adds Basaldua, who is the director of business development for Yantis.

KFW Vice President Blaine Lopez adds that Blue Wing will be very visible to those traveling along Interstate Highway 37, from cities like Corpus Christi and Pleasanton.

“It’s a nice introduction to San Antonio, (and how the city is) taking a step forward in renewable energy,” he says.

Under the terms of the agreement between CPS and juwi, the latter will provide CPS with electricity on a wholesale basis for 30 years. The Blue Wing project is expected to generate 14 megawatts of power — about as much electricity as that produced by roughly 1,800 homes on an annual basis.

Sums up Eugster: “It’s an exciting milestone for San Antonio.”

Speaking of green
The Central Texas-Balcones Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently announced that as of March 31, 2010, Central Texas boasts 62 LEED-certified buildings — up from 24 as of first-quarter 2008.

“This number highlights the increasing move toward green building practices, particularly in the major centers of Austin, San Antonio and Waco,” observes James Andrews, 2010 chairman of the board for the Central Texas Green Building Council.

Andrews’ organization reports that, in San Antonio alone, there are presently 14 LEED-certified properties. Three major area businesses, for example, are now headquartered in LEED-certified buildings: Rackspace Managed Hosting, Tesoro and Port San Antonio.

Retail roundup
New assignment: The San Antonio offices of The Weitzman Group and Cencor Realty Services have been hired to lease and manage, respectively, Bandera Oaks. The center spans 64,570 square feet along the east quadrant of Loop 1604 and Bandera Road.

Lex Lutto and Gene Williams of the Weitzman commercial retail division in San Antonio will head up the leasing for Bandera Oaks.

Karen Waring, director of property/asset management for the local Cencor office, will head up the management of the center.
Bandera Oaks is anchored by Office Depot and Petco. Other tenants include Pei Wei Asian Diner, Bright Now! Dental and Wachovia.

New restaurant: The doors are open at La Gloria, the newest restaurant at Pearl and the latest culinary endeavor for local chef Johnny Hernandez. Pearl is an urban retail and residential complex that is being created on the site of the former Pearl Brewery.

Mom rules! According to a recent report by Washington, D.C.-based the National Retail Federation (NRF), the average person will spend $126.90 on Mother’s Day gifts for momma — up from $123.89 last year.

Total spending for Mother’s Day 2010 is expected to reach $14.6 billion — up from $14.1 billion in 2009.

TRICIA LYNN SILVA’s Real Estate Roundup column appears weekly. Silva can be reached via e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at 210-477-0849.

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vendors

WHILE SOME SENlOR-LEVEL EXECUTIVES MAY TAKE years before  they find the right fit with  a company,  Ar­nold Briones knew instantly that  Yantis Company will be the place he retires from. “Since I was brought in several years ago, the owners have treated me like family, like one of their  own,” he says. “Mike [Yantis] Jr. and Blake Yantis brought me in because they knew of my work ethic, commitment to working efficiently,  and doing things  right-which are some of their  core values. They have taken  me in and made me feel like this is also my company.”

The San Antonio-based site-work and utility company  for which Briones works builds infrastructure for resid ential, commercial, federal, and public projects in the southern region of Texas.

“We build sanitary-sewer, storm-drainage, domestic, and recycled-water systems,” says Briones,  the company’s executive vice president. “We also build roadways and highways, and pads for residential homes and commer­ cial buildings. Our  business is very challenging because we’re  the ones who work night and day to give people the necessities to live day to day. We build the infra­structure to give you water  to drink and the roads for you to drive.  Plain and simple,  we build a path to new development and to new beginnings for everyone.”

The company  was founded  in 1965  by John Yantis with one excavator  and a commitment to fairness and honesty. Nearly 45 years later, Yantis Company employs  more than 400  individuals and annually  performs from  S 80 million  to$ 100 million  in construction contracts. Today, the company  is owned  and operated by grandsons Mike Yantis Jr. and Blake Yantis.

“Over the years,  Yantis has gained a reputation as a com­ pany that delivers  quality  work and completes projects on time and on budget,” Briones says. “Yantis Company is recognized as a cornerstone of the San Antonio  busi­ness community.” And the company  has certainly earned much recognition. In addition to annually  being listed as one of the Top SO Private  Companies by the San Antonio Business journal, Yantis has also been named  as one of the Top 25 Largest Private Employers  and Top 20 Fastest Growing Companies. Yantis Company has also been acknowledged multiple times  as America’s 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies by Inc. magazine.

“We strive  to be a part  of the tota l construction team, not just a third  party,” Briones says. “Developing strong partnerships has been the key to our success  and will continue to establish  us as one of the most trusted con­ struction contractors in the region.” As a result, it has strong connections in the development community in San Antonio. “Two years ago, our construction contracts were mostly  negotiated and the contracts that were  not negotiated were public jobs,” Briones adds. “Even in this tough market, where  everybody is bidding  projects, try­ ing to get the lowest-possible number, we still negotiate work.  We have made it known  to clients  that we are committed and that we are here to serve.”

Over  the years, Yantis has gained  a reputation as a company that delivers quality work  and completes projects  on time  and on budget.

-Arnold  Briones, Executive Vice President

One  of the significant changes that have been made to improve  the company over the years has been to take the same  work ethic that John Yantis  instilled in his sons  and grandsons, and  add strict operating procedures, aggres­ sive marketing techniques, and technology not  typically seen  in the  fi eld,  according to Briones. “What se parates us from  our  competitors is our attitud e and our ability to make connections with clients and  make  them  feel like we are  part of their team, and  give them  the comfort that we can  he called on at any time ,” he says. “Our clients  know that  we are  always  ther e for  them, and  we ar e only  a phone call away.”

One aspect of Briones’ job that he truly enjoys  is that he gets to build  projects that  provid e the  means for  people to live.

“I get to be a part of taking a raw  piece  of property and turning it into something where people live, shop, and eat,” he says. “I get to be a part of building the  future for everyday people. Secondly, Iget to work”ith a diverse group of clients , engineers, and architects··- some  of which  are  very close friends. [Thirdly], Iwork with a great group of friend s. Mike  and  Blake  Yantis are close personal friends a nd have given  me a tremendous op­ portunity to  be part of their business and  their famil y heritage. This is truly a great company.”

Briones feels  that  the  opportunities for  the  company’s future growth are endl ess . “We have situated ourselves in  our market to dominate the  competition,” he says. “Our picture is endless With our connections, our attitude, and  our commitment to serving. I think we have a competitive advantage in so many  different aspects; and someday, when the econ01ny  turns, our  revenues will double or triple.“

Company facts: Yantis Co. is a turnkey site construction company which performs excavation,  rock  milling, utility construc­ tion, asphalt paving and concrete work on residential,  commercial and  public sector projects. Yantis is a family-owned business that has three  generations of the  Yantis family involved in  the  company. Cousins Blake and Mike Jr. currently serve as CEO and  president, respectively. Blake is cred­ ited with overhauling  the company’s inter­ nal accounting  software, the  introduction of a massive information systems program, and the complete reorganization  of Yantis’ equipment  department The company has been a part  of a number  of construction projects  in San  Antonio,  including  utility work for Six Flags FiestaTexas. It also per­ forms public projects, including the Wurz­ bach Parkway expansion and 15 major proj­ ects at San Antonio International Airport.

Accolades: Yantis has been acknowledged multiple times as one of”America’s 500 Fast­ est Growing Private Companies” by Inc. magazine. In addition, the firm has appeared on the Aggie 100, which recognizes the fast­ est-growing companies that are either owned oded by an Aggie/A&M graduate.

Trivia: John Yantis, a former construction­ equipment  salesman,   founded   the  firm with $2,000 -$1,000 of which he brought in himself, the  other  $1,000 coming from his partner Norman Harwell. They made $40,000 in their first month. Harwell sold his portion of the business to John in 1976.

express_news1_main_smallFamilial foundation keeps Yantis business strong

In 2002, The Yantis Co. had $35 million in revenue. By 2006, revenue was up to $100 million. That’s about the time Mike Yantis Jr. and Blake Yantis began to work full time at the San Antonio construction company.

Cousins Mike and Blake are third-generation members of the Yantis line of management. They’ve recently been promoted to president and CEO, respectively. But their sights haven’t always been focused on the positions they now hold.

“I probably went back and forth until I graduated,” said Mike, who admitted he wasn’t sure about working at the company his first six months there.

Mike, 27, graduated from Texas A&M University, came back to work during the summers and started full time right out of college. Blake, 26, defied the family tradition and went to the University of Texas at Austin, but his Aggie family welcomed him anyway. They both earned business degrees.

“Everything in school was definitely through the lens of Yantis Co.,” said Blake, who also considered taking up his hobby, photography.

In 1965, John Yantis founded the company. His sons Mike Sr. and Tom then ran the company and are now co-chairmen of the board. The company has about 560 employees.

Yantis works on 50-70 projects at a time, including residential site work, commercial construction and public building. Right now, one of its largest projects is at what will be the new Tesoro Corp. headquarters, where Yantis is paving the way for two new roads. The project will run more than $14 million, Mike said.

Mike oversees operations, such as the project managers and fieldwork. Blake runs the internal side, focusing on accounting, purchasing and development. The two cousins have their differences, but they said the differences complement each other.

“Blake and I get along great,” Mike said. “It’s a lot of fun working with him.”

In a business with four Yantises, however, decisions are hard to agree on completely, whether it’s about a multimillion-dollar project or a box of paper clips.

“We’re all pretty hard-headed,” Blake said.

But at the end of the day, they all come together, and the cousins are free to run the company.

“Mike (Sr.) and Tom are both brilliant in their own respects,” Blake said. “We probably take it for granted.” When the Yantis cousins took charge, they wanted to increase their business relationships and to have

more professional interaction with the companies they build for.

“We’re more a partner,” Mike said. “We’ve really created some great relationships.”

Those relationships have helped Yantis maintain projects, such as the San Antonio International Airport, where the company has completed more than $80 million in runways and taxiways since 1989.

“They are a fine local and family-owned business,” said Doug McMurry, executive vice president of the Associated General Contractors of America San Antonio branch. “They’re a well-known company with a great reputation.”

Yantis has seen the correlation between relationships and growth.

“The quality of people we’ve been able to bring in has been the driving force behind us,” Blake said. Blake’s dad, Tom Yantis, shares that sentiment.

“The single biggest reason for their success is the people they surround themselves with,” Tom said. “I’m very proud of what they’ve achieved in a short amount of time.”

Tom said their can-do attitude and lofty goals have helped them boost the business.

“I hope that they continue doing what they’ve done in the past five years for the next 20,” he said. Not yet in their 30s, the Yantises have found their age to be both an advantage and a challenge.

“It was real hard at first,” Mike said. “But we try to get in and show these guys we know what we’re talking about.”

Both Mike and Blake agree their age gives them an aggressive attitude and gives them a fresh perspective on the business, which they are using to adapt with the market.

The current housing market slowdown has been a downfall, but Yantis has supplemented that by shifting to more commercial projects.

“We have always been successful in the residential market,” Blake said. “In 2005 and 2006, that was probably 85 percent of our business.”

Now, the projects are more evenly split between residential and commercial.

Mike also said public projects, such as school construction, will help them keep busy. “We’re diversifying and trying to have a balanced attack,” he said.

That attack might include the Austin area in one to two years, Mike said. Right now, Yantis has projects only in the San Antonio area.

One of Yantis’ obstacles seems to be an ongoing issue for all construction companies. “Skilled labor is probably our biggest challenge,” Mike said.

That should continue to get tougher in San Antonio, as workers will be needed for commercial, military and public projects.

16-inch layer of asphalt to be replaced by concrete
By Scott Huddleston

The echoing crescendos of jet airliners passing overhead may get louder for some and softer for others while International Airport’s main runway is closed for at least a month.
Residents and businesses northeast and southwest of the airport are most likely to be affected by the closure, scheduled to begin Thursday, as the Yantis Corp. replaces a 16-inch layer of asphalt with concrete on a section of runway.

During the expected 30- to 50-day construction period, air-traffic controllers will direct most flights to the airport’s “crosswind” runway, which runs parallel to Wetmore Road, airport spokeswoman Linda Wasserman said. The work is not expected to affect the airport’s operating capacity.

“The main thing that’ll be different from the public’s point of view will be what people on the ground are hearing,” particularly from inbound flights, Wasserman said.
Noise may increase northeast of the airport, along upper Wetmore, and to the southwest along San Pedro Avenue, from just south of Loop 410 to near Basse Road, she said. The main runway will reopen Saturday to small aircraft, and may accommodate some inbound commercial flights.

“The key concern is that large planes may not have enough room to take off there during construction,” Wasserman said. The crosswind runway sometimes is used when strong northwest wind hampers takeoffs from the main runway. The direction of traffic on a runway may vary daily, according to wind and other factors.
“We’re taking advantage of this time of year, when we would normally use our crosswind runway. But we’ll be using it over a prolonged period,” Wasserman said.
The runway work is part of a $3.4 million project using federal and local funds to replace sections of the runway and a parallel taxiway that are up to 40 years old. All but a small section of the main runway was replaced several years ago, Wasserman said. Asphalt is outdated in runway construction, primarily because it deteriorates when jet fuel is leaked or spilled, she said.