Dell 1710n Laser Printer, one HP. Photosmart ... shoring to the river by self-
propelled modular ..... Ames crews have been doing an outstanding job at the
Rentech biofuels plant, located .... sensors, testing of the screen controls and
endurance ...
AmesNews 2012
INSIDE Corporate.............................................. 2 Midwest...............................................12 Rocky Mountain.................................. 20 Western............................................... 28 Southwest........................................... 36 Announcements................................. 44
Corporate The 50-year Book The creation of the book, “Persistence Creates Opportunity”, was an undertaking that took three years from the initial inception to the finished product. It took thousands of hours on the part of Ames employees and outside agencies to conduct interviews, write stories, gather or shoot imagery and produce the compositions for print. In the end, a book was produced in which we can all take pride. Printed copies of this book are now part of the Library of Congress in Washington DC, the Minnesota Historical Society Library and several local Historical Society libraries.
The Book TEAM
Above: Susan Carter: Writer, John Matheson: Bluehot Creative, Butch Ames, Frank James: Bluehot Creative Below: Amie Krause, Ken Brandt, Roger McBride, Tom Flick, Vivian Cripe
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Corporate The Premiere Event
A LETTER FROM BUTCH
The premiere event, held at Somerby Golf Community in Byron, Minnesota, hosted roughly 300 attendees consisting of the Ames family, executive staff and Ames business partners. Butch Ames welcomed the crowd and recounted, “It’s been quite a journey from where Ames started to where we are today.” Butch went on to recognize the contributions of the founder’s wives and the team that created the book ,“Persistence Creates Opportunity.”
Hello to All,
Dick Ames spoke next, telling the crowd “Mom would have been very very proud of us and she would let everybody know that. Dad would be just as proud of us, but he would never let you know it – he kept us humble.” Dick went on to talk about the importance of relationships and honored the Giles family for the long-standing relationship with the Ames family. Following the speeches an address video played, followed by cheers and clapping.
First, I would like to thank all of you who organized or attended any of the 50 year celebrations that we held across the country this year. Each event was unique and enjoyable. It was clear that each event succeeded because of the coordinated effort by many hard working and creative people.
A year ago I wrote that 2012 would be a momentous year for Ames Construction, Inc. Little did I know what that would really mean.
These celebrations afforded us the opportunity to visit with many old friends and long-term employees as well as meet the new generation of dedicated workers who will take Ames forward into the future. It was personally gratifying to me to see the caliber of highly committed men and women, past and present, who work so hard to see that spirit of Ames moves forward. I would also like to thank everyone who participated in the writing of our corporate history book. I know that many hours were expended gathering information, stories and facts. Many of you contributed either directly or indirectly with pictures and stories. The title, “Persistence Creates Opportunity” captures the beginning, growth and success of our company. We hope that you have taken the time to read the story that lead us to where we are today. The history of Ames Construction is truly the American dream come true. It is no secret that our company has been built on the principles of hard work, honest work, quality work and treating our employees and clients with fairness. These are also the same principles that will carry us forward into the future. As a company we have been very fortunate to have not only survived difficult times but we have actually flourished during them. It is our persistence and willingness to put our shoulder to the wheel that has kept us going these many years. Second, I would like to issue a challenge to you as we embark on the next fifty years of work. We know that it is essential that our focus on safety, quality and production continue to be in the forefront of all we do. During the past 12 months we continued to make steady advances in our safety program. Although our record is commendable, I will not be satisfied until we accomplish our goal that “Nobody Gets Hurt” at any Ames projects across the county. I know this is attainable and that with your help we can make this a reality. A safe project is absolutely vital to our overall success as a company. As we move forward into 2012, I want each of you to know how important you are to us. Our management, office personnel, maintenance shops and each craft worker are absolutely vital to our ongoing success. There is plenty of work for us to do and I am convinced that by working together Ames will continue to be the company of opportunity and growth for all of us. The first 50 years of Ames Construction, Inc. is, as they say, in the books. It is now up to us to stay the course as we embark together towards the next 50 years. Best wishes to you and to your families.
Butch Ames
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Corporate A LETTER FROM DICK Dear Employees and Friends, In our line of work, I am sure you have heard someone say, “When the dust settles, what’s most important is family and friends”. There are many things in our lives that act to remind us of this. As most of your know, I was raised on a farm. Christmas on the farm is one of my best memories because I just loved Christmas. My mother did too. Dad went along with it, but he wasn’t as enthused as Mother and I. I remember that my mother would make caramel candy, and my job was to wrap each piece in wax paper—lots of fun. I recall there was one Christmas when I got a BB gun as a present. Now, my parents heated their house with a fuel oil stove and out on the porch was a five gallon can full of fuel oil. On Christmas day, that same year I got the BB gun, my family was going over to my cousins for dinner to celebrate. Well, it just so happened that after chores, and before we left for my cousins, I went out on the porch to try out my new BB gun. I wanted to find out how much power the gun had, so I took a shot at the fuel can. When I looked to see if the BB made a hole in the can, it appeared to have only made a small dent. It was time to go to my cousin’s, so we all got in Dad’s car and left. We had a good time, but soon had to go home to milk the cows and do the chores. When we got home, Dad noticed that fuel was all over the porch floor. The BB had penetrated the can and the fuel had leaked out all over the porch floor. Needless to say, I think I should have picked a different target.
Caterpillar Recognizes Ames 50th Year Anniversary In August of 2011, Ames Construction attended a celebration at Caterpillars corporate headquarters in Peoria, Illinois. Several Caterpillar suppliers, from various locations across the United States, joined Ames owners, equipment managers, and other senior Ames leadership for the celebration. Participants of the celebration gathered at Caterpillar’s Corporate office for a luncheon hosted by Caterpillar CEO, and Chairman, Doug Oberhelman. During the luncheon, Mr. Oberhelman paid tribute to Ames Construction as
a leader in the industry and one of Caterpillar’s best, long-term working partners. Mr. Oberhelman went on to praise the individual owners of Ames as men of excellent character, integrity and hard work. After the luncheon, attendees toured Caterpillar’s state of the art manufacturing and training facilities and watched a demonstration of the capabilities of Caterpillars earthmoving equipment.
Riggert presented Ames owners with a beautiful, unique showcase made from the tracks and radiator of a Cat D-8 dozer. The showcase, hand crafted by Chuck, sits proudly in the foyer of the Ames corporate office. Upon reflection of the day, Butch Ames noted: “Ames is probably the only customer Caterpillar has where 50 years later the original owners are still involved in the daily operation of the company”.
The day concluded with a reception in honor Ames Construction, its founders and employees. At the reception, Caterpillar’s Chuck
This story happened a long time ago. Just about as long ago, 60 years, I became involved in the construction business. As most of you know Ames Construction just celebrated 50 years in business, and I have been a part of it from the beginning. Before Ames Construction, I worked 10 years for V. J. Volden Inc. I was 23 years old when I went to work for Verdie Volden, and I am not going to tell you how old I am—you figure it out. Our industry has an extraordinarily large impact on the world by enhancing the everyday lives of people in our communities. We can all be very proud of our accomplishments. I know that my Mother and Dad would be extremely proud of all the Ames employees who have made all of our endeavors a reality. I met many of you folks this fall for the 50-year celebrations in Minnesota, Denver, Salt Lake City and Phoenix. Back when I shot that hole in Dad’s fuel can, I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that I would meet you folks at events like we had and I want to thank all of you. Respectfully yours,
Dick Ames
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Corporate SAFETY
safety awards
project awards
OUR 2013 SAFETY PLAN By Alan Michaels, CSP
Ames has been the recipient of hundreds of awards for safety throughout the years. It is our culture of safety that allows Ames crews to work without incident for such a long period of time.
Quality is in the DNA of Ames Construction. This is apparent in the many recent project awards that Ames has received. One example, the recently completed 11400 South Interchange on the I-15 corridor received two awards from the DBIA. The awards shown here are just a few of the fine projects that Ames had the honor of completing with high marks.
Those of you who follow football know that you need a game plan if you have any hope of winning. Head Coaches have offensive, defensive, and special teams game plans. You cannot win without a good game plan. It’s no different in safety. You need a solid “game plan” in safety too. Looking back to 2012 Our game plan worked most of the time. We had some successes in 2012 that we can be proud of, such as: • All of you who worked without personal injury, without injuring a co-worker, or without damaging equipment. Thank you. • Ames as a team reaching our lowest company Recordable (Medical Cases) Incidents Rate ever, which was 1.22—a 35% improvement over 2011’s performance. • Rocky Mountain Region improving by 85% over 2011’s safety performance. • Midwest Region improving by 50% over 2011’s safety performance. • Southwestern and Western Regions also had improvements of 19% and 6% respectively. • All of you who put considerable effort into the Weekly Safety Action Plan books, which you used as a daily game plan to safely line out your various jobs each day. • T hose of you who earned a safety bonus for 2012 can be proud that your efforts paid off.
Looking ahead to 2013: Our Game Plan • Work “safety smart” so that everyone earns his or her 2013 safety bonus. • Send a strong “safe productivity” alignment message at our four regional start-up meetings. Then, following up to make that message a reality. • Sustainable growth in the new California Region. (I am enthusiastic about this group and their desire to excel in safety.) • Expand our Safety Observation Report program to engage everyone in safety. • Train our supervision and employees on hazard recognition within the framework of a “find it/ fix it” game plan.
One example to highlight is the Cripple Creek/Victorville Mine Mill Site. The Earthwork Project at this facility recently achieved over 113, 000 hours without a recordable injury. This clean and wellmaintained project has witnessed the kind of teamwork that leads to a “Zero Injuries” culture. The pictured awards are just a few of the many awards Ames has received for safety on the job.
We are getting incrementally better in safety. We are in a new era where Owners are demanding a higher safety standard if we want to be awarded work or continue to do work for them. What’s in it for you? Each of you personally gains a better quality of life because you go home each day in a safe and healthful state of well-being. Follow the “safe productivity” game plan, and you can’t go wrong. Best wishes for a safe, health, and prosperous 2013.
Silver Cross Award on Denver’s Eagle P3 Project John Baca, Area Safety Manager for Denver Transit Partners’ Eagle P3 Project in Denver, Colorado was recognized on December 12th with the Silver Cross Safety Award. This award recognizes life-saving safety behavior, which John demonstrated on November 7th while conducting his safety rounds on the project construction site.
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Ames Recently received an Award of Excellence from the MNDOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise & Workforce Collaborative. A group committed to engaging in inclusive and equitable decision-making, transparent reporting and innovative solutions for all.
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Corporate Charities Kilometers for Kids Ames Southwest Region recently participated in the Kilometers for Kids event. Funds raised went to the Child Crisis Center to serve hundreds of children in various programs throughout the year; including adoption & foster care, parent education classes and family counseling. From the kids residing in shelters to the different play groups and parenting workshops, the Center works hard to affect change in children’s lives…for the better.
Companies to classrooms The IT department at Ames Construction just recently made another ongoing contribution to “Companies to Classrooms”. A nonprofit organization supports students and teachers by providing educational supplies, free of charge, from recycled or excess supplies and inventories donated by local businesses. These donations are necessary for students that struggle to acquire basic supplies
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necessary for learning and schools with tight budgets. For this effort, Ames donated, four Lenovo T500 Laptops, one Dell 1710n Laser Printer, one HP Photosmart Premium all-in-one color printer. Ames also donated the labor to install, configure and network this equipment. The estimated total donation for this effort totalled $2,000.00.
Ames has long believed in the importance of supporting and participating with local community organizations in each of its regions. The Western Region has been a long-time supporter of many local charitable organizations, including: • Huntsman Cancer Institute • Angels Hands Foundation • Boys and Girls Club of Sandy • Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation • Food Bank of Utah • Primary Children’s Hospital • Millard and Wasatch County FFA/4H • University of Montana Health & Fitness Dept. • Community Service Fund, Operating Engineers
The DCTC Advocacy Award The DCTC Advocacy Award recognizes individuals or organizations that have displayed extraordinary support for the college mission through partnerships, community engagement and the promotion of technical education as a pivotal component in the quest for economic prosperity. Butch Ames received this award in April for the donations of Ames Soccer Complex and Ames Field at DCTC.
BLUE 42 On Saturday, September 22, 2012, Dakota County Technical College proudly hosted the first annual Blue 42 college celebration. Community members and college supporters gathered at Ames Baseball Field on DCTC’s Main Campus for this free family event. A. 4.2-mile Fun Run/Walk, to raise scholarship funds for students in need, kicked off the event. Other event attractions included, professional autographs, a Splatter Sisters concert, and a chance use the indoor batting cages. During the event, DCTC celebrated the grand opening of Ames Baseball Field, with a dedication ceremony. Butch Ames, present at the ceremony, had the honor of throwing out the first pitch of the day.
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midwest
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The MIDWEST REGION EVENT
A LETTER FROM RON
The Midwest Region event was held at the Cedar Ridge Arabian Farm in Jordan, Minnesota. Ron Ames greeted roughly 700 attendees at the door and then sent them into a horse arena, transformed by images of the book, “Persistence Creates Opportunity”, on banner skirting, flag ceiling drapes and carpeting on the floor. During the event, there was a lot of discussion, many reunions, and some of the participants took a tour of the Arabian horse stables and the nearby Percheron farm.
I want to say thanks to everyone that attended the Midwest’s 50th Year Celebration event!
During the program portion of the evening, Ron Ames stepped up to the microphone and welcomed, “We have a tremendous amount of employees that showed up here. If it wasn’t for you folks with all your hard work, dedication, great craftsmanship, and spouses that let you work and travel for us, there just wouldn’t be a company here today.” There was a special presentation to Dick Ames of a 60-year membership pin from the Local 49 Union and then Dick said a few words. The 50-year address video played for the crowd and then Ron Ames brought a few noteworthy guests on stage, including 90-year-old long time employee, Blackie Nadeau, and Ron’s grandson Riley.
I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the evening such an enormous success. I would also like to express my appreciation to every single person, in our region, who works so hard to keep Ames moving forward each day.
The panels that filled the walls, at the event, with images of people and places brought back a flood of memories to many of those who attended. Our guests included some of our clients, vendors, and many current and long-term employees. We were fortunate to have several of our retired employees present too. Ron Ames President, Midwest Region
Ron Ames
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midwest CCLRT: Cooperation moves project to meet goals Ames Construction is in its second season of construction on the CCLRT (Central Corridor Light Rail Transit) project, which runs between Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Metropolitan Council awarded the civil portion of the contract to the Ames McCrossan Joint Venture (AMJV). The Central Corridor links five major centers of activity in the Twin Cities region: downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, the Midway area, the state Capitol complex and downtown St. Paul. When completed, the CCLRT will connect with the existing Hiawatha line at the Metrodome station and terminate at the Minneapolis multimodal station that will also serve the new Northstar commuter rail line. Trains will operate every 7½ minutes during peak travel periods, with a travel time of 39 minutes between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis. By 2030, the projected ridership is anticipated to be more than 40,000 commuters per week day. The coordination effort and cooperation between the Metropolitan Council, City of Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota and AMJV
At a Glance:
have been paramount to achieving our unified goals and moving the project forward. Crews have been particularly challenged by the pedestrian traffic on the University’s campus—arguable the busiest pedestrian movement area in the state of Minnesota—as people
continually moved through the work zone during staging and construction. The project is successfully completed, with crews meeting the November 30, 2012 substantial completion milestone.
Devils Lake: Raising the roads Ames has been conducting ongoing flood relief work in the Devils Lake, North Dakota, area since 2009. With no natural outlet, rising water levels continued to flood many of the state and county roads and, in 2012, Ames crews completed five additional projects in the area. Four of the projects required raising and placing rip rap slope protection on nine miles of flooded County and Bureau of Indian Affairs roads. Completion of the fifth project, the East End Outlet Project, provides much needed relief from the ever-rising lake level. This project, constructed for the North Dakota State Water Commission, included installation of five pumps totaling 7,000 horse
power, valves and 96-inch discharge piping. At full operation, the pumps move 160,000 gallons of water per minute and will lower the lake level one foot per year. Work continues on the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) Roads Acting As Dams (RAADS) and NDDOT Hwy 20/57 Projects. Both projects have received additional funding to raise the final elevation. The added work includes raising 8.5 miles of earthen dams on the BIA RAADS Project by five feet, and raising five miles of Hwy 20/57 also by five feet. Both projects are complete, meeting the scheduled fall 2012 completion dates.
Hastings Receives a New Landmark The Lunda Ames joint venture is constructing a replacement bridge for the existing Highway 61 Bridge spanning the Mississippi at Hastings Minnesota. When completed, the bridge will be the longest freestanding tied-arch bridge in North America, boasting a main span of 545 feet long and 104 feet wide. What makes the new bridge a landmark, are the visual elements, including the overall design, lighting, color, public art, railings and public areas near the bridge. As the bridge is built, and the design details evolve, a Visual Quality Team, headed by
nationally recognized architect Bradley Touchstone, will ensure it meets the original intended look. This biggest construction challenge is to keep river and automotive traffic flowing. To accomplish this a, “Get-in-get-out”, approach is used to shorten the amount of time any property is affected. As part of this effort, the main span was built offsite at the project’s Flint Hills Preserve staging area. In September 2012, the 6.4 million pound main span moved from its shoring to the river by self-propelled
modular transports and placed on a flotilla of barges. The main span floated down the river and moved into a pre-lift location using a skid system. Finally, it was connected to hydraulic strand jacks that lifted the Main Span up approximately 50 feet, where crews secured the span between Piers 5 and 6. The bridge float-in process took only 54 of the original 72-hours window to complete. The project is currently ahead of schedule to meet the 2013 substantial completion milestone.
Project accomplishments to date include: • C ompletion of the Washington Avenue Bridge, nearly two and onehalf months ahead of schedule • Sidewalk reconstruction on the U of M campus • Final alignment of traffic for three-fourths of the project • Completion of the Huron / Washington Avenue intersection
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midwest BNSF Bridge: Spanning the Missouri River
I-494 & Xerxes Avenue Bridge
13 & 101
In March 2012, Ames Construction began working on a $36 million second line construction project for the BNSF Railway near Plattsmouth, Nebraska. The line includes 1,700 feet of new bridge construction over the Missouri River.
The I-494 reconstruction project kicked off this summer with the removal of the existing Xerxes Avenue Bridge that spans over I-494. During the weekend of July 27, 2012, a moveable barrier was put in place for shoulder work, allowing more room to work during off-peak traffic hours. This is the first time a moveable barrier is being used by Ames in Minnesota.
This summer Ames Construction successfully completed the TH 13 & TH 101 interchange design/build project. The project consisted of an eight span precast concrete girder bridge, four retaining walls and misc. subcontractor items of work.
Crews have been adjusting work activities and schedules to accommodate the combination of fluctuating weather conditions— from harsh winters to high levels of precipitation in the spring—and the swift river current. Additionally, with bridge construction taking place between an existing historical highway toll bridge and a live BNSF bridge, crane positioning and material movements must be performed with extra care. Throughout the spring and summer,
At a Glance: Completed and ongoing project work includes: • S tabilization of existing levee and construction of second mainline track bed • Excavation to enable construction of the soil nail wall and new half-mile second line on the west side of the bridge • Construction of all seven land piers and two abutments consisting of over 1,000 cubic yards of structural concrete, 1,200 linear feet of drilled shafts and rock sockets, and 150,000 pounds of reinforcing steel • Excavation site support for the soil nail wall subcontractor • Cofferdam construction, barge positioning, and concrete work for Pier 7 and Pier 8
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earthwork and structural crews ran an aggressive schedule to complete most of the non-river related work. In the late summer and fall, crews transitioned to construction of the river piers, structural steel erection, and construction of the soil nail wall. Following its use for the 2010 bridge replacement project in Burlington, Iowa, Ames Construction’s tugboat — the Ruby Belle— is helping crews construct this project. The Ruby Belle is named in honor of the Ames brothers’ mother, Ruby Belle Reisinger.
The first 100-day milestone was reached as scheduled on November 4, with the
completion of the abutments shoulder re-construction, retaining walls, median barrier and concrete paving. Work was also completed on seven interchanges, and the road shoulders in the entire corridor were reconstructed to carry next year’s traffic configuration. Next year, four and one-half miles of median will be reconstructed in four months and the new Xerxes Bridge will be open to traffic by May 23, of 2013.
The Plattsmouth project is approximately 70 percent complete and on schedule for the September 2013 completion date. An Ames crew that averages 20 employees has been working six days per week, along with various subcontractors.
ALIANT ENERGY Ames Construction has a contract with Black & Veatch for an AQCS project on the Alliant Energy Columbia power plant. A repeat client for Ames, Alliant is expanding this coal-fired plant located in Portage, Wisconsin. The expansion, located next to an operating power train, requires constant coordination and communication with the plant operations department. Initiated in May of 2012, the project consists of site grading and temporary facilities development. It also includes, structural concrete foundations, underground process piping, electrical system, duct banks and miscellaneous metals.
Ag-Star Judging Arena The Minnesota State Fair board awarded Ames Construction a contract for construction of the new Ag-Star Judging Arena. The completed project began on October 17, 2011, with the ribbon cutting ceremony held on April 27, 2012. The existing judging arena was built in 1964 and used for many of the 4-H, FFA, horse, cattle, llama, goat, and sheep competitions held seasonally from May through September. The new Ag-Star Judging Arena is a 27,000 square foot facility with a 36-stall stable area, riding arena, and a 600-seat capacity spectator area. The new building is insulated and enclosed making it suitable for year-round use, and State Fair board members anticipate hosting 20 additional events in this facility throughout the winter months. More than 150,000 people visited the new facility during the 2012 State Fair. The project scope included the demolition of the existing structure, installation of underground utilities, subgrade preparation, aggregate base placement around the perimeter of the building, construction of the oval riding arena, and both exterior and interior concrete work.
Ames has successfully completed 100,000 man-hours, without lost time, and the project is on schedule for completion by the end of the year.
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rocky mountain The ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION EVENT The Rocky Mountain Region event, held at “Wings Over the Rockies,” in Denver, hosted roughly 800 attendees consisting of the Ames family, employees and approximately 150 business partners. The event was held in a large hanger filled with new caterpillar equipment and historic airplanes. Each employee was greeted at the door, by Tony Ames and entered the vast, beautifully decorated, space. During the event, there was a flurry of discussion, and some of the participants took the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a vintage plane, or the seat of a new Caterpillar. After dinner Tony Ames, stood up to the microphone, welcomed everyone and stated “ I think it’s fitting that we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary in a venue that honors the triumphs of American history.” Then referring to the successful history of Ames Construction Tony continued, “Without the best employees and partners, none of this would be possible.”
A LETTER FROM tony The Rocky Mountain Regional fifty-year celebration was a tremendous success! We are thrilled to have had nearly 800 attendees at the event. The celebration was a chance to honor the founders, employees, spouses and partners of Ames Construction. Staying true to Ames core values and legacy, the party celebrated the contribution of each and every individual who played a role in achieving this monumental milestone. My personal thanks to the organizers of the Tony Ames party who worked so hard to make this Manager, night a first class event!
Rocky Mountain Region
Special thanks to the owners of Ames Construction for allowing our regional employees, vendors and their spouses to participate in celebrating Ames Construction’s 50 successful years of business.
Tony Ames
Butch Ames took the stage, thanked the crowd and then said, “When I look back over the 50 years and think about the 50 years ahead I see a lot of similarities— there will be challenges, crisis and many changes, but there will be opportunities, new markets, growth in the challenges— working together as a team I think we can achieve a lot more at Ames.” After Butch’s speech, the video address played to an appreciative audience. The party continued for a few hours, and then the Rocky Mountain Region celebration slowly began to wind down.
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rocky mountain Us 36 Express Lanes Project: DESIGN-BUILD FOR MULTI-MODAL INNOVATION CORRIDOR The US 36 Express Lanes Project in Colorado is a multi-modal project to reconstruct 10 miles of US 36 from Federal Boulevard to 88th Street in Louisville/Superior. Led by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado High Performance Transportation Enterprise (HPTE), and Regional Transportation District (RTD), the US 36 Express Lanes Project will add express lanes for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) and tolled Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV). The Ames-Granite joint venture was selected as the design-build team for this project. “We had some of the best teams in the country competing for this project,” said John Schwab, CDOT project director. “AmesGranite was determined as the best fit based on its ability to combine an aggressive schedule with extended length and additional elements, providing the best overall value for the project budget.” As the main artery for commuters traveling to and from Denver to Boulder, heavy traffic congestion on
this corridor has been the norm for more than 10 years. A challenging, compressed schedule, combined with commitments to maintain existing traffic patterns during construction, requires critical planning to execute. Commitments include: No long-term closures on US 36, keeping all exit and entrance ramps operational, and minimizing impact to commuters by doing the bulk of the work during off-peak travel times, nights and on weekends. Ames-Granite is also working with 36 Commuting Solutions to reach out to commuters during construction. For example, a smart phone application has been developed to give commuters access to up-to-the minute traffic speeds, live camera feeds, the latest traffic alerts, project facts, RTD schedules and more. The Ames-Granite team has also worked as an interdisciplinary team to solve environmental-critical issues and keep the US 36 Express Lanes project on schedule. Construction began in July 2012 and is scheduled to be open to the public in January of 2015.
At a Glance: • W idening of US 36 with reconstruction of other corridor elements including parkways and bridges. • BRT improvements that include electronic display signage at stations and bus priority improvements at ramps, allowing buses to operate on the shoulders of US 36 and between interchanges to decrease bus travel time. • Construction of a separate commuter bikeway and improved RTD stations, including new canopies with enhanced weather protection. • Installation of an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to facilitate transit and traveler information, tolling, and incident management.
UPRR INTERMODAL: ECONOMIC BOOST FOR SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO
UPRR California Junction
Located just west of Santa Teresa, the 11.5-mile by one-mile site will accommodate 26 new buildings to support yard operations and include two fueling facilities, locomotive inspection tracks, an intermodal ramp and switching yard.
In February 2012, Ames crews began work on the UPRR California Junction project in Iowa for Union Pacific Railroad. This seven-month project, completed on schedule in early September, consisted of five miles of construction to enable placement of a new second mainline track.
This facility is located along Union Pacific’s historic “Sunset Route”, one of the oldest and most critical rail corridors in America. It will give New Mexico a “key inland port” with Mexico, thus bolstering the economy of southern New Mexico. It is anticipated that the facility will create 3,000 jobs during the construction phase and eventually support more than 600 permanent jobs. The project site is located on desert terrain with a hot and dry climate that is notorious for its dust storms. Ames crews anticipate using more than a halfmillion gallons of water each day for dust control and construction water. After numerous plan revisions and scope changes, work started in July of 2012 with completion scheduled for March 2014. Ames scope of work includes installation of various piping, placement of aggregates, structural concrete work and asphalt paving.
RENTECH BIOFUELS: CREWS OUTMANEUVER CHALLENGES Ames crews have been doing an outstanding job at the Rentech biofuels plant, located in Commerce City just northeast of downtown Denver. The plant refines diesel and jet fuels from alternative sources and, since the project began, Ames has been awarded additional work that expands the contact to nine times the original scope. Recently, crews used a Manitowoc Crawler Crane and a Grove RT to perform two-crane picks of the process manufacturing machinery. Despite work being performed in tight spaces with numerous overhead obstructions, Ames crews continue to safely execute the work to keep the project on schedule. The current scope of work performed by Ames includes a General Master Services Agreement for site support and tail gas piping for residual gases from the processing of fuels. Completed project tasks include: a site civil package, a mechanical piping package, construction of a compressor pad, wastewater civil and wastewater mechanical packages, and erecting a wastewater building.
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The major work items on the project included: earthwork, sub-ballast placement, construction of a bridge over an existing pond, fencing and pipe installation.
I-80 WAVERLY TO GREENWOOD OPENS The new westbound three-lane stretch of Interstate 80 between the Waverly and Greenwood interchanges opened to traffic in early November 2012, with the eastbound lanes is complete. The three-year I-80 expansion project between Waverly and Greenwood, Nebraska, included 9 miles of interstate expansion from four to six lanes. This project is the second to last phase of the I-80 expansion that gives motorists a wider roadway stretching all the way from Omaha to the outskirts of Lincoln, Nebraska. Project highlights include: earthwork, 13” concrete pavement, four single span bridges, two three-span bridges, culvert piping and 32 box culvert extensions.
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rocky mountain RTD, FasTracks Eagle P3: COMING FULL CIRCLE The Regional Transportation District (RTD) awarded a finance-designbuild-operate-maintain (FDBOM) concession to Denver Transit Partners (DTP) in 2010 for the FasTracks Eagle P3 project. Ames Construction is a partner in Denver Transit Constructors (DTC), the portion of the DTP team contracted to design and construct the commuter rail system. When completed, 34 miles of a new electrified commuter rail system will run from Denver Union Station to Denver International Airport (East Corridor), Arvada/Wheat Ridge (the Gold Line) and to Westminster (Northwest Electrified System - NWES). A commuter rail maintenance facility is also being constructed. Completion of the RTD P3 project will be a full-circle moment in Ames’ history. After serving as the largest civil contractor on the new Denver International Airport site in the early 1990s, the only thing lacking was easy access from downtown Denver to and from the airport. This new commuter rail will close the loop between downtown and the airport, giving the company an opportunity to finish what it started. As the design continues to be developed, work has started over the majority of the 34-mile-long alignment. An increased work pace this summer has put Ames on schedule to complete a majority of the civil infrastructure in 2014. Job highlights on the East Corridor include utility relocations, CIP box culvert work, bridge construction in multiple locations, earthwork operations, and deep drainage. On the NWES and the Gold Line, major elements of work include utility relocations, MSE wall construction, and construction of a CIP post-tensioned bridge. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2016, followed by a 29-year operation and maintenance period.
Lower Yellowstone Diversion Dam for Fish Protection Complete We are pleased to report that construction of the Lower Yellowstone Diversion Dam project is now complete. The project, located north of Glendive, Montana, was initiated in August 2010 to improve the existing irrigation system to protect endangered pallid sturgeons. In the spring of 2012, Ames crews finished removal of the earthen cofferdam, completed the remainder of canal excavation and placed rip rap behind the new structure. The high-pressure sluice gates and programming for the master control unit for the fish screens was also completed, along with the final work of field tests for the fish screen level sensors, testing of the screen controls and endurance testing the entire system. Over the course of construction, the project experienced temperatures well below zero and record-breaking floods that delayed work on the diversion dam structure. To overcome delays, the entire team worked up to 6 days a week, and 12-hour shifts of additional overtime and personnel were added to support finishing the mass concrete pours for footings slabs, wall forming and the concrete deck. Despite these unexpected challenges, the Ames Construction team completed the project with zero recordable injuries or incidents. The quality of the work was at its highest standard and the project was delivered to the owner on time and under budget.
CC&V GOLD MINE: MILL SITE EARTHWORK PROJECT Following successful completion of the Arequa Gulch Phase 5 Valley Leach Facility in November 2011 for Cripple Creek & Victor (CC&V) Gold Mine, Ames Construction was awarded a new contract by CC&V for the Mill Site Earthwork project. Located in Cripple Creek, Colorado, Ames crews are preparing a new building site location for a future ball mill and appurtenances. In December, crews began clearing and grubbing of approximately 75 acres of the site, followed by mine remediation efforts to fill in and stabilize more than 90 existing mine workings. In early January of 2012, Ames began constructing a haul road for site access to import mine waste material suitable for use as embankment fill. Work began in February to place structural embankment material, which was completed to subgrade level in August, on time and within budget. Ames was subsequently contracted for the remainder of the site work, which includes soil liner fill and a geomembrane liner, MSE Walls, sump and drainage utilities, along with an additional structural fill to complete the project to finish grade. This earthwork project is currently on schedule for completion in January 2013.
Intermodal Gate Facility Relocation The UPRR Intermodal facility is the heart of the horizontal distribution of goods within the Denver area. For more than 100 years, it has been a transfer operation to load and unload large truck containers to and from the railroad lines. Ames was awarded a one-year contract for gate relocation using combined financing with the RTD Eagle P3 Fastracks project. The new RTD Eagle P3 Fastracks East Rail Line will be built on the north side of 40th Avenue, rendering the existing main entrance to the Intermodal facility as unusable. One of UPRR’s existing storage tracks will be transformed to a light rail track and other improvements will be made along 40th Avenue. The Ames contract for the gate relocation from 40th Avenue to York Street includes construction of a new gate house and storage track, relocation of underground utilities and demolition of the existing gate facility. UPRR is also taking advantage of the opportunity to perform additional on-site improvements including a storm sewer upgrade, the addition of a highly advanced Nascent/AGS system for identifying and tracking the truckloads entering and exiting the site, construction of outbound and inbound portals and canopies, a Driver’s Assistance Center and a Musco high mast lighting system.
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Crews are performing construction in phases to allow the facility to operate without impact. Maintaining daily coordination with the facility management is essential as is the communication with the City and County of Denver for work that impacts the adjoining roadway. Coordination is ongoing with the RTD East Line construction project.
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western The WESTERN REGION EVENT The Western Region event, held at the exclusive Grand American Hotel, in downtown Salt Lake City, hosted roughly 700 guests. Mark Brennan greeted the attendees, including the Ames family, gathering in the elegant ballroom. Three large banners, bearing images from “Persistence Creates Opportunity” hung tastefully throughout the room, accompanied by screens that scrolled imagery from the book, “Persistence Creates Opportunity”. Well into dinner, Mark Brennan stepped up to on stage to welcome everyone. Mark told the story of his arrival to the region. He remarked that when he arrived, “I found really good people here— and when we found good people, we found good vendors and a lot of good clients.” Mark went on to confess, “ I don’t remember most of the jobs— I remember the people—because that is what makes it fun and worthwhile, the people.” Butch Ames spoke after Mark “This has been a great place for us, with a lot of opportunities.” Butch went on to thank the talented team from the region and remarked, “You have been very loyal to Ames Construction. That is the core that has made this company successful.”
A LETTER FROM MARK With all of us at Ames celebrating the Fiftieth year, it was an exciting fall. The Western Regional Event brought people from past, and current, relationships to celebrate some true milestones. From the completion of I-15 CORE, (our first billion dollar job), to jobs like the 21-mile Murdock Canal Enclosure and the countless jobs we completed for Kennecott, Barrick and Newmont, our people stand out as the best in the industry. Mark Brennan
It was exciting to see Vendors, Clients and President, Western Region Employees come together and honor Ames’ first fifty years. As I looked out across the room, I saw friendship, honor, loyalty and a true sense that we all were a part of this successful company. It was also apparent that we all wanted the success to continue because we are all a part of what Ames stands for. I truly believe we have gathered the best people in the industry to keep Ames in the forefront. Again, I would like to thank everybody that came, and all those that are a part of our region. Thank you.
Mark Brennan
Dick Ames got up and thanked his Dad and Mom for raising the family, and went on to thank the employees. After Dick finished the address video played, followed by applause, wrapping up the program for a successful event.
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western I-15 CORE: Completion by Christmas is the “cherry on top” for travelers The I-15 Corridor Expansion (I-15 CORE) is the largest freeway construction project in the state of Utah with the fastest construction schedule for a billion-dollar public highway project in United States history. As a major part of the Provo River Constructors (PRC) joint venture, Ames Construction along with its partners began work on this best-value design-build project in early 2010 for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT). In an unprecedented 35 months, Ames crews widened and reconstructed 24 miles of Interstate I-15, rebuilt and reconfigured 10 freeway interchanges, and replaced 63 bridges. To meet the aggressive schedule, the PRC joint venture workforce peaked at over 2,000 craft personnel, with an additional 57 subcontractors performing work on the project. The state originally projected a completion date of 2014. However, Governor Gary Herbert challenged the company to make the freeway “functionally complete” in time for 2012 holiday travel and PRC accepted the challenge. Herbert said, “They’ve done such a great job; this is going to be the cherry on top.” To accomplish the project goals, Ames and its joint venture partners implemented multiple innovations and value engineering ideas. Specifically, Ames crews utilized Automatic Total Station (ATS) grade control, and field engineers re-designed a significant S-curve along the alignment and two major interchanges that saved the project, UDOT and the public both time and money. To maintain the ambitious
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schedule, the majority of work was completed at night and innovative traffic patterns were introduced to free up space for construction, setting new UDOT project standards for completing work with limited impacts to the public. Even with the project’s aggressive pace, the project’s safety record was three times safer than the national average, reached one million work hours without a recordable incident, and performed three million work hours without a lost-time incident. With great pride in our accomplishment, this project was completed 18 months ahead of schedule with a savings to UDOT of $260 million.
At a Glance: During the life of the I-15 CORE project, crews: • Placed 11 million tons of embankment materials • Poured more than 2.8 million square yards of concrete • Finish graded nearly three million square yards of open graded base course for pavements • Installed 51 miles of drainage pipe • Installed over one million square feet of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls • Expended more than seven million man-hours and almost four million equipment hours
PROVO RESERVOIR CANAL ENCLOSURE PROJECT After nearly 17 months of construction, the Provo Reservoir Canal Enclosure Project (PRCEP) was substantially completed this spring, one year ahead of schedule. The 21-mile, 10.5-foot-diameter welded steel pipeline was hydro tested and put into service on May 1, 2012, with more than half of the electrical and SCADA system operational. This allowed the client to control turnouts and two flow control systems automatically from their office. The remaining portion of the electrical and SCADA system was brought online throughout the summer, with substantial completion one month ahead of the early milestone date.
With a fully functional pipeline, the client has the capacity to deliver 400 million gallons of water safely through several municipalities and neighborhoods each day. The success of this project impacts hundreds of thousands of residents who will now have safer communities, see improved water quality and water savings, and eventually enjoy a recreational trail along the pipeline corridor. Thanks to all of our dedicated employees, subcontractors and suppliers for making this project a success.
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western KENNECOTT IN-PIT CRUSHER RELOCATION, PHASE II: NEW CONVEYORS
Barrick Goldstrike: Tailings Storage Facility Stage 1 Construction
Immediately following the successful relocation of the Kennecott In-Pit Crusher in the fall of 2011, Ames crews began the second phase of the project for the pre-assembly and installation of a new conveyor system. The new system is approximately 2,100 lineal feet long with two new transfer stations, and the project included demolition of approximately 1,000 lineal feet of existing conveyor.
From March through November of 2012, Ames crews completed construction of the first stage of a new tails storage facility for Barrick Goldstrike. The project included of the installation of under-liner drains, embankment prep, buffer installation, liner installation and collection sump construction.
Concrete foundations for this phase of the project were placed around and under an existing conveyor belt while the belt was operating. During the winter months, Ames crews precast many of the concrete foundations and the concrete sleepers and then transported them into place for the final installation of the conveyors. By request of the owner, this phase of the project was accelerated so Kennecott could mine the high grade ore located under the existing conveyor system.
The under-liner drain rock was purchased and hauled from an
off-site location. The rock was uniquely “burrito wrapped” and installed underneath the liner to transport run-off water beneath the tails facility into a concrete collection vault, which was poured in place by Ames crews. Construction of the collection system required two 24-inch SDR 7 HDPE pipes to be installed in a five-foot-wide trench that stretched up the face of a 110-foot embankment at a steep 3:1 slope.
The liner installation totaled approximately 2,800,000 square feet of GCL and LLDPE, with the secondary GCL layer covered by the primary LLDPE layer. Thanks to continued focus on safety procedures, this project was completed with no loss time accidents, injuries or MSHA citations.
This project came to completion with a six-day shutdown while the new conveyor system was tied-in and commissioned. Crews successfully completed this challenging installation on schedule, and we commend all personnel involved for their hard work and dedication shown on both phases of this project.
BARRICK CORTEZ CELL 4 TAILINGS STORAGE EXPANSION Ames crews are constructing a new tailings storage facility (Tailings Dam) for Barrick Gold at its Cortez Mine, Cell 4, located south of Carlin, Nevada. Workers placed fill for the buttress of the starter dam. After exhausting available sources for sound rock to be processed by the crushing operation, crews uncovered an alternate source for Zone T material, which provided cost savings to the owner and also helped maintain the schedule. Crews also prepped 6.8 million square feet of sub grade for liner, installed 12” to 4” drain lines in the drain gravel over
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the liner and moved the main water supply line away from the footprint of the dam. Several innovations were used on this project, including fill compaction on the haul roads that reduced the cycle time for the 777 to turn and dump material. It also saved wear on the tires. To construct the haul road, crews installed a 10.5-foot-diameter multi-plate over the mine’s main conveyor system while it remained in operation, requiring crews to use heightened safety precautions.
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southwest The SOUTHWEST REGION EVENT The Southwest Region event, held at the Scottsdale Plaza Hotel, in Arizona, hosted roughly 475 attendees. John Ames greeted the family members, employees and business partners as they approached the outdoor courtyard. Banners bearing images from “Persistence Creates Opportunity”, skirted the courtyard in a semi-circle, and a large 8' cube balloon, bearing the celebration logo, floated over the stage. At 6:00 John Ames took the stage to welcome the crowd. He introduced the principles of the company and handed the microphone to Butch Ames. Butch told a story of a crisis that became an opportunity and advised, “Persistence — stay at something long enough it does create Opportunity.” Butch went on to say “The future of Ames Construction has no limits.” He then thanked the crowd and turned the microphone over to Dick Ames. Dick said a few words and thanked John, the Ames employees and all in attendance.
A LETTER FROM JOHN The Southwest Region held the 50th Year Celebration in the courtyard of the Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was the perfect setting for a perfect evening. It was wonderful to see Ames employees, vendors, family and friends gather for the event. Our region was the last of the four regions to hold the 50th Celebration. It was extremely exciting for me to host this event with the other Regional and Corporate leadership including, Dick Ames, (the John Ames Founder of Ames), Butch Ames, (C.E.O.), Ron President, Ames, Mark Brennan, and Tony Ames. Southwest Region I personally attended at all of the Regional Events and, I have to say, it made me feel so good about Ames Construction. The way that all of our employees get along, and their loyalty, means a great deal to me. This also goes for our Vendors and our Sub Contractors. At the end of our event, the Principals of the Company cut balloons and confetti cannons went off as we toasted to the next 50 Years!!! It was a fabulous event that I will never forget.
John Ames
After the playing of the address video, the principles approached stood on stage as John Ames approached the podium and spoke,“ I am reminded of the words of President Ronald Regan. While I take inspiration from the past, I live for the future, so here is to the next 50 years of Ames Construction.” A group of balloons cut by the principles and 50 balloons from the back of the stage were released while a confetti cannon fired, signaling the end of the 50-year celebrations.
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southwest Southwest Region Expansion: California, here we come! Ames Construction is known for going wherever opportunity takes us and, this year, new opportunities have paved the way for expansion into Southern California. In April, as part of the Southwest Region expansion, a new office was opened in Corona, California. Prior to the 1980s, the city was primarily an agricultural community, dominated by citrus orchards, ranches and dairy farms. Since the area’s land became desirable to developers and industrialists in the 1990s, Corona has become known as a major suburb of Los Angeles. Since opening the Corona office, Ames has been awarded our first project for the California Department of Water Resources—an $18 million
project to construct the Citrus Reservoir. And most recently, the Corona office was low on a $37 million track realignment project for the Port of Long Beach. The project will demolish and reconstruct track as part of a massive program to update this Port. We look forward to continuing the pursuit of opportunities in California and stabilizing our presence in this new geographic market. Expansion in the Southwest Region also includes the addition of multiple new estimators, and we have been busy with the combination of procuring new work and continuing construction on several roadway and mining projects. To date, our Region
Union Pacific Railroad Sunset Route – Wister to Iris has been awarded over $165 million in new work. We have approximately $17 million in mine work at seven different mines throughout Arizona and New Mexico for three different mining companies, and we were selected for a design-build project for the City of Peoria on the Lake Pleasant Parkway project. Major construction begins in January of 2013 on this $18 million project. The region has also been awarded three ADOT projects in the last six months including a bridge replacement, freeway widening/rehabilitation and another section of the new freeway, the Loop 303.
Ames is currently performing another project for Union Pacific Railroad’s Sunset Route. This project consists of constructing 18 miles of new track near Niland, California, and is expected to be completed early 2013. Phase I of the project includes construction of 10 bridges, 53 culverts and 18 miles of track bed. Phase II will be for construction of six new bridges and removal of 49 old bridges. Also included are eight road crossings and two siding removals. In addition, there are 58 runs of jack & bore pipes in 21 different locations. Ames crews are successfully navigating numerous challenges on the project, including high water levels beneath five of the bridges, environmentally protected species fish, working within 25 feet of an active railroad and diverting the active channels for the Imperial Irrigation District during construction of the new culverts.
At a Glance: Meet The People At Our Corona Office
Jeff Geist Area Manager
Craig Roth Chief Estimator
Thony Le Estimator
Chris Acosta Estimator
Steve Paul Project Superintendent
Scott Routte Project Manager
Brandon Chen Project Engineer
Teresa Jakeway Jennifer Lewis Environmental Manager Office Coordinator
Jeff brings 35 years of experience working on California construction projects.
Craig has been involved in the construction industry for more than 23 years, most recently with CC Meyers in Southern California. His strong understanding of structures work gives us a presence with veteran leadership.
A graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, California, with a degree in Construction Management, Thony’s broad experience in estimating various disciplines of work bring much needed local experience to Ames.
Chris has been working in the construction industry for about 10 years; previously working for Kiewit, SEMA, and CC Myers. Chris came to Ames with local knowledge of suppliers and material sources.
Steve was previously employed with Skanska before joining Ames in April.
Scott comes to Ames from Austin Bridge & Road, where he had the opportunity to partner with Ames while working on the 303 Loop in Peoria.
Brandon comes to Ames from Ace Engineering, Inc., where he primarily worked on military projects.
Formerly employed with the County of Riverside Environmental Division, Teresa will be involved with construction and surface mine environmental programs and implementing the stringent rules and regulations.
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Jen previously worked at SEMA Construction.
With the success of this expansion more people are being added, and we look forward to working with all of them in the near future.
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southwest SR143: SKY HARBOR BOULEVARD TRAFFIC INTERCHANGE Ames recently completed this impressive roadway project for the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) at the east entrance/exit to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. This project integrated a wide array of architectural features that are representative of the region’s Native American heritage, and the bridges and landform graphics were designed to replicate Native American pottery motifs. In addition to providing aesthetic appeal, the snake and bird landforms provide erosion control for the ramps’ slopes without attracting birds or other wildlife that could get in the way of the overhead flight paths. A high level of teamwork between ADOT, the designer, the airport, FAA, subcontractors and Ames was required to keep the project and public moving, and construction phasing was sequenced to maintain existing traffic and airport access. Due to these close coordination efforts, traffic kept moving throughout the entire projects until its successfully on- time completion.
Citrus Reservoir This earthen reservoir is the first project awarded after launching our new Corona, California, office. The reservoir is a major component of the California Department of Water Resources’ East Branch Extension Project – Phase II. Ames crews will excavate 1 material to create the 400 acre-foot reservoir that will cover 18 acres. Crews will install steel pipe, asphalt and rock slope protection for the reservoir.
Sapphire Integrated Algal Biofuel Refinery Ames Construction recently completed the Sapphire Integrated Algal Biofuel Refinery project located in a remote part of southern New Mexico. This groundbreaking facility was the first plant of this type and size. When completed, the facility will cultivate and process 300 acres of oil-rich algae to generate one million gallons of crude oil per year. Previously, Sapphire was using its smaller test facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where the largest pond is equal to the new facility’s smallest pond. Ames crews worked closely with the project owner and general contractor to provide design and constructability reviews throughout the duration of this unique project. The earthwork and detailed finish grading used in constructing the pond embankments, cutting the radius slopes, and detailing out the 1.5-foot-high by nine-foot-wide center pond berm was new and unique. Because of the 2:1 slopes, the project manager and superintendent had concerns about building these ponds. However, by overbuilding these slopes and cutting to the exact tolerances, Ames set the standard for the construction of these ponds for future projects. The project’s schedule was aggressive, yet never took priority over the importance of worker safety. Ames crews worked more than 85,300 man hours with a perfect safety record. Each team member held themselves accountable and responsible to each other to avoid being the one to break the “perfect streak.”
SR303L – THOMAS RD TO CAMELBACK RD Ames recently completed a section of SR303 that connected I-17 to the northwest valley. This new section of the freeway upgrades a two-lane rural roadway into a four-lane, limited access freeway. Crews will construct a detour for travelers before beginning work on the southbound lanes. Once complete, traffic will be routed on the southbound portion while Ames constructs the northbound lanes. The completed project is expected to include 1.3 million cubic yards of earthwork, 1.1 million tons of structural steel, 32,000 linear feet of storm drain culverts and 14,000 square feet of retaining walls. The bridges for the traffic interchanges are over 200 feet long and nearly as wide. Dramatic change in the landscape always brings special challenges and this project is no exception. Initial surveys were held for the protected burrowing owl, and extra precaution must be taken with activities that border a nearby organic farm to avoid contaminating the soil.
Because of the nature of the material, which includes rock up to seven feet in diameter, Ames will crush on site rock for use in the project. Ames crews must also undergo awareness and avoidance training to recognize certain protected animal and plant species. Coordinating our work and that of our subcontractors with the owner is paramount for safety, environmental compliance and production. Anticipated completion of the project is July 2014.
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announcements ANNIVERSARIES Thank you to all of our employees for their years of dedicated service. Congratulations to those celebrating a milestone with the company this year.
Midwest 5 YEARS: Rudolph Beck III Alan Becker Scott Coombs Justin Dean Shane Delaske James Duffy Michael Engstrom Marty Fallon Jon Fontaine Jason Gregor Cory Hafemann Travis Hanf Edward Hoekstra Aaron Houle Justin Hoveland Charles Hutchinson Daryl Jackson Tony Johnston Jeffrey Lucas Timothy Lyrek Galen Marks Jeremy Mcconnell Thomas Meyer Keith Radniecki Jr Christopher Ritter 10 YEARS: Joe Boegeman Kirk Boyd Todd Boyer Theodore Boys Terry Bushar Eugene Haaland Anthony Hyatt Gary Keller Derrick Kobus Nicholas Larson Jason Luhman Clint Monson Benjamin Rauk Tim Weldon Jerry Volz 15 YEARS: Robert Bruckner Daryl Franzen Darin Hukriede David Monett 20 YEARS: Neil Jones Cary Smasal
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25 YEARS: Roger Kraus Thomas Thiel
30 YEARS: Todd Castle Paul Gallagher
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5 YEARS: Miguel Acevedo Channing Brown Luis Chacon Julio Chavez Jason Drayer Timothy Fort Edward French David Gompert Chip Karo Kenneth Locke Timothy Murray Jaime Ruiz Jesus Tavizon Bradley Thomas Thomas Walsh 10 YEARS: Calvin Arnold John Baca Samuel Bottoms Jose Chavez Eric Chiasson Joel Crain Bradly Fernau Joel Gonzalez Michael House Karl Johnson Larry Pagel Billie Roundtree Veda Roundtree
5 YEARS: Melissa Abraham Esteban Chavarin Geogory Emerson Richard Hawk Chris Kane Travis Legare Ezequiel Medina Steven Oubre Richard Purdon Jaimee Robinson Aaron Ruiz John Saunders Benny Smith Louis Trujillo Joshua Workman 10 YEARS: Francisco Briseno Rodney Eden Doran Emery Robert Foley Joe Fuller Jenny Goodwin Jesse Miller Bryan Mueller Mike Petko 15 YEARS: Jack Johnson Gerard Miller Matthew Pederson
15 YEARS: Bradley Andersen Jose Aguirre Jose Chavez Timothy Faye Janette Johnson Javier Norato Jon Williams
20 YEARS: Mark Brooks
20 YEARS: Steven Lange Phillip Tharp Bradley Wecker
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25 YEARS: Doug Eischens James Panici Jr
25 YEARS: Scott Nielsen Charles Thornhill 30 YEARS: Terrance Brennan
5 YEARS: Alejandro Aguilera Venancio Alarcon Jeff Allman Heber Anderson
John Asher Carlos Bernachea Donald Brummel Jr Jorge Camarill0 Dallas Day Travis Elsbury Wilford Facer Aaron Gandolfo Jose Garcia Kyle Graham Jason Harper Casey Hill Thomas Jore Christopher Kemper Steven Kenison Santos Lopez Bridget Macarthur Jose Magdaleno Julio Martinez Kathleen Morgott Michael Oskey Jerry Richards Cary Schneider Patrick Shelton Chet Simper Justin Taylor John Thurgood Geoffrey Trimble Richard Walker Jesse Wiseman 10 YEARS: Jerry Chaffin George Freestone Joseph Reeder Juan Sanchez Michael Shields 15 YEARS: Pete Baloo Drew Downs David Goodrich Dustin Jameson Daniel Openshaw 20 YEARS: Todd Allred David Fuit Jim Hilton Mike Rocco 25 YEARS: Brett Johnson
2013 HEALTH INSURANCE OPEN ENROLLMENT
EEO/AA & Sexual Harassment Policies
January is the health insurance open enrollment period for non-union employees. Watch for the open enrollment packet in your mailbox. Complete an Enrollment Form if you are: 1) Making an election change, 2) Adding a spouse or dependent child(ren) as defined under the Plan, or 3) Change Life Insurance designated beneficiary.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
If you do not submit a Medical Enrollment Form your coverage will remain in the same Plan as elected in 2012. The Enrollment Form shall be submitted directly to CieloStar (aka OutSource One Benefits). To obtain a copy of the Summary Plan Description, also referred to as Employee Benefits Book, contact Tanya Kesti, Human Resources Administrator, at (952) 435-7106. Note: Union employees shall contact their designated Plan Administrator.
This is to affirm the Ames Construction, Inc. policy of providing Equal Opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment in accordance with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action laws, directives and regulations of Federal, State and Local governing bodies or agencies thereof. Ames Construction, Inc. will not discriminate against or harass any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, marital status, affectional preference, ancestry or status with regard to public assistance, genetic information or military membership status. Ames Construction, Inc. will take Affirmative Action to ensure that all employment practices are free of such discrimination. Such employment practices include, but are not limited to the following: hiring, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, selection, layoff, disciplinary action, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation and selection for training, including apprenticeship. Ames Construction, Inc. prohibits the harassment of any employee or job applicant because of sex, national origin or race. Ames Construction, Inc. will use its best efforts to afford minority and female business enterprises with the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in the performance of subcontracts for construction projects that this employer is engaged. Ames Construction, Inc. will commit the necessary time and resources, both financial and human, to achieve the goals of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. Ames Construction, Inc. will maintain a hostile free work environment, and good work conditions for all employees and supervisors.
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announcements Sponsorships The current recipients of the Gerald W. Everson awards, pictured with Ron Ames and Butch Ames. Left to right. Alex Utley, Charlie Vermace and Justin Englund.
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Ames Construction helped sponsor Katerina Parra, daughter of Ames Foreman Juan Parra, on a trip for honor students to Australia. Katerina describes this learning experience as the opportunity of a lifetime.
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© 2013, Ames Construction Inc. “Ames Construction, Inc.” and the stylized “A” logo are trademarks and service marks of Ames Construction, Inc. All rights reserved.
MIDWEST 2000 Ames Drive Burnsville, MN 55306 952.435.7106 ROCKY MOUNTAIN 18450 E. 28th Ave. Aurora, CO 80011 303.363.1000 SOUTHWEST ARIZONA 8333 E. Hartford Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85255 602.431.2111 CALIFORNIA 391 N Main Street Corona CA 92880 951.356.1275 WESTERN UTAH 3737 West 2100 S. West Valley City, UT 84120 801.977.8012 NEVADA 2001 Griffen Street Carlin, NV 89822 775.754.2261
AmesConstruction.com AME000C-13-Rev AA
