In this Issue:

• Lead Story: Education Forum: Modern Instruction Keeps Pace with Modern Construction
• Update: Scholarship for Students in Construction
• Great Jobs/Great Candidates
  

• Hard Hat Humor
• The Poll: What do you think is the most famous structure in the world?
• Riveting News: Construction Industry News
• Made in the USA: The Sears Tower

LEAD STORY:
Education Forum: Modern Instruction Keeps Pace with Modern Construction

We live in a country that values self-examination and advocates self-help. We wonder who moved our cheese, we count the steps it takes to be a highly-successful person, and we do crunches and Pilates, all in order to better our selves, our lives, our business standing, or our finances.

Likewise, the arena of higher education is certainly not immune to the tendency to subject itself to intense scrutiny and to make changes and improvements. Specifically, education at the college and university level in construction has changed over the last few decades.

But unlike the sometimes fleeting and cursory facelift that a fashionable book or trendy fad might cause in our society before being replaced by the next fad, the deep and important alterations that have settled in at universities across the United States seem to be permanent and important.

Dr. William R. Burkett, the Construction Option Coordinator, teaches Steel Structures, Concrete Structures, Masonry Structures, and other support classes at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He sees evidence of important changes in the manner in which students are educated today. »more

UPDATE: Scholarship for Students in Construction

Kimmel & Associates is pleased to announce that it has selected 36 students to receive its Scholarship for Students in Construction for the Autumn 2005 Semester. Each scholarship is worth $1000. Kimmel & Associates established the Scholarship in 2004 and awards recipients for both the Spring and Autumn semesters during a school year.

The 36 students who are receiving the Autumn 2005 Scholarship come from 20 different colleges and universities representing 15 states.

The announcement of the selections for the Autumn Scholarship came from President Joe Kimmel, who founded Kimmel & Associates in 1981. Kimmel said, “we’ve served the construction industry for 25 years and are always searching for tangible ways to give back to the industry that has given us so much. We hope that helping the next generation of builders helps accomplish that goal.”

The scholarship is intended to encourage students to enter construction as a profession and to ease the financial burden on those who are selected to receive the award. Further, professionals already working in the construction industry but who want to return to school and pursue a degree in their field are eligible for the scholarship as well.

In Spring 2005, Kimmel & Associates awarded 34 students its scholarship.

Kimmel & Associates is accepting applications for the Spring 2006 semester currently. A student interested in applying can visit kimmel.com. In addition to the application found on the website, a student must submit a current transcript. »more

[top]

GREAT JOBS:

GREAT CANDIDATES:

The job postings on our website and in our newsletter represent only a partial list of searches that we are currently performing. New searches arrive at our firm daily. We continually place professionals in positions with the top construction firms in the nation in all locations. Our network has the reach to place professionals like you in positions that are never advertised. Please call 828.251.9900 or contact us by e-mail. Click on the position title below to contact us.

SOUTHWEST:
#21748 Chief Executive Officer - Heavy Construction. 60 year old privately held, heavy construction firm, operating in 20 states through subsidiary companies and branch operations. Projects are labor and equipment intense, hard money, self perform, high risk. History of steady growth, strong profitability, satisfied customers. We would like to speak to individuals who:

1. Have a proven history of profitable management of a heavy construction business unit (company, branch, division) of $150 million or larger. The larger the better.
2. Have a demonstrated commitment to profit, before volume.
3. Have managed an environment of hard money, labor intense, equipment intense, self perform, high risk projects.
4. Split personality - one half strong operations skills, and one half strong people skills/business skills/visionary who can inspire and motivate the team and provide charisma/poise with outside directors, investors, customers, industry leaders.
5. Will report to Board of Directors. Will manage all subsidiary companies and branch operations. In addition to "Proven Pro," we invite inquiry from younger executives - overachievers who possess the skill set, personality, and drive to manage at the highest levels, but have not yet had the opportunity.

Perhaps we have the opportunity here? Sunbelt location. Reasonable cost of living, high quality of life. Annual compensation (salary and incentive plan) mid six figures, excellent benefits, large stock equity participation. All replies held in strictest confidence.

NORTHWEST:
#21772 VP of Operations - Dynamic Homebuilder and Development company is searching for an exceptional Vice President of Planning & Land Development to oversee entitlement, design, construction, land acquisitions, planning and fiscal responsibility. This position reports directly to the President. The company builds quality homes for community-oriented families in a beautiful area full of fishing, golf, hunting, skiing and other outdoor activities. The ideal candidate has a background in either construction or engineering with at least 5 years in an executive Land Development role. Excellent growth potential and very generous compensation package for an entrepreneurial-minded team player. The position is located in Idaho.

MIDWEST:
#19708 Preconstruction Manager -
Growing, dynamic small General Contractor working in a unique market niche looking for a strong Pre-Construction Manager. Position will be responsible for the estimating department and drafts people. Requires a hands-on person who can work with minimal input from superiors. Must show proven success and at least 5-8 years of experience in commercial projects. Experienced in MS Word, MS Project and Excel a must, AutoCad a plus. Degree required.

MIDWEST:
#21683 Project Manager -
Well-established Orlando site contractor seeks Project Manager. Successful candidate will have a proven track record of managing multiple site projects to $5mm. Experience managing field crews is mandatory. Residential site experience, change orders, budgets, are plusses.

WEST COAST:
#21214 Project Superintendent -
One of the nation's largest residential builders is looking for a Multi-Family Superintendent that has worked on podium projects. This Superintendent must be able to motivate subs and keep the project moving forward. If you have worked on large scale multi-family projects, you have worked on projects with high-level finishes, and are looking for a stable company with longer term projects, get your resume to us now!

»Search more jobs

[top]

Listed below is just a small sampling of candidates with whom we are associated. Your needs may be different; please do not hesitate to contact us so that we can assist you with finding the right professional for your organization. The Kimmel & Associates network has the relevance, reach, and response to find the candidates who fit your specific needs. Please call 828.251.9900 or contact us by e-mail.

MID ATLANTIC:
#151070 Project Manager - Eager professional whose largest project is a $9M Assisted Living facility. Most experience has been with renovations. A good communicator with lots of energy and a willingness to learn. Lives in the Northeast now, but wants to move to the Richmond, Virginia area to be closer to family.

MIDWEST:
#104529 Superintendent - Extremely professional Superintendent who has worked on commercial, light industrial, retail, and schools. Subs say they will work on any job that he runs. He is seeking a challenging new position. Would like to stay in the Midwest.

SOUTHWEST/SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
#289930 Superintendent - This “go-getter” of a Superintendent is just completing a $25M post tension 4-story hotel and is actively looking for a home. Has completed fast-track theater projects and retail projects, as well as luxury condos and apartments with subterranean parking. If you are looking for a Superintendent who you can give a set of plans to and know that it’s going to be done right, this is your guy. Wants to stay in Southern California or the Southwest.

ATLANTA, GA:
#227970 Project Manager or Assistant Project Manager - Degreed Project Manager with 6 years of experience managing multiple projects to $3M in size including institutional and smaller medical. Proficient with Timberline and Primavera. Desires to expand his project experience in size and complexity with a company that can offer growth opportunities for a motivated self-starter. Relocating to Atlanta, GA.

NORTHEAST:
#264131 Director of Pre-Construction Services - This Senior Manager has 28 years of construction management, engineering, and procurement experience for the pharmaceutical, chemical, and manufacturing industries. Demonstrated expertise on very large and complex projects includes business development, contract administration, cost control and scheduling, project coordination and material control. Projects have run from $10M to $1.4 Billion. An expert with all aspects of pharmaceutical construction working within the regulatory environment. Interested in helping a new company capture marketshare in pharmaceutical construction. Wants to remain in the Northeast.

HARD HAT HUMOR

[top]

KIMMEL & ASSOCIATES announces the launch of a new website. Some new features include:

• Job Seeker Resources/Career Center:
  Here you will find Salary/Relocation Tools, Articles and more.

• Employer Resources:
  Articles and advice from the Recruiter.

Well Wishes

The thoughts and prayers of the employees of Kimmel & Associates go out to those who suffered from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

What do you think is the most famous structure in the world?

• Refinery Outages Prompt Moves for New Construction
• Teams Begin to Survey Damage Throughout Gulf
• Baton Rouge Seeks Help for its Boom Town Woes

The Sears Tower

When people refer to Chicago by the nickname “Second City,” they are certainly not referring to the Sears Tower, a giant edifice commissioned by Sears, Roebuck, and Company that dominates the skyline of Chicago and was, for several decades, the tallest building in the world.

Rising to a staggering height of 1,729 feet, Sears Tower remains the highest skyscraper in the United States and rivals Petronas Towers and Taipai 101 as the world’s highest man-made buildings. The highest inhabited floor of its 110 floors is 1431 feet above street level and two broadcast antennas on top add to its final height.

Chief Architect Bruce Graham and the Architectural and Engineering firm of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill designed a plan that included stepbacks as the building ascended, giving it its unique appearance. Morse Diesel served as General Contractor on the massive construction project, an undertaking that began in 1970 and was completed in May 1973.

The foundation and floor slabs have some 2 million cubic feet of concrete – enough to build an 8-lane highway 5 miles long.

The tower’s sway has been known to cause motion sickness in people working in the top floors, and the observatory elevators are among the world’s fastest, covering 1600 feet per minute. Clearly, Sears Tower still ranks among the engineering and construction marvels of the world.

[top]

Continuing Education

Western Carolina University:
Receive a Construction Management Masters Degree entirely Online from an Accredited Institution at Western Carolina University.