Newsletter:  January 2005 a "I like to think I've improved my problem solving skills." – Kevin Delong, LeDuc & Dexter Residential Superintendent "Koch Construction runs fast-paced projects in a very professional manner." – Bill Zeeb, Commercial Manager at LeDuc & Dexter "We have a real need to be able to communicate with not only our Spanish speaking employees, but also Spanish speaking workers from other companies on the jobsite." –  Tom LeDuc, Leduc & Dexter President & CEO

Residential Super – Kevin Delong	RESIDENTIAL

Kevin Delong is the Residential Superintendent and Safety Director at LeDuc & Dexter, Inc.  Delong has been active in his two positions for the past two years, working under Jim Kempers, Residential Manager, as Superintendent and having the responsibility of Safety Director for all field personnel. 2005 marks his 20th anniversary with the company. As Residential Superintendent there's no doubt about Delong's biggest challenge, "Scheduling the work and making sure the jobs are ready to go is a huge part of my job," says Delong, "We've had a lot of work this year and the scheduling has really been tight. Time management is probably my biggest challenge."

Kevin Delong, Residential Superintendent, started with LeDuc & Dexter in 1985.

Another big challenge for Delong is his role as Safety Director, "It's the most important thing – being safe on the job," says Delong, "Our plumbers are doing fantastic with safety awareness. Our customers are also doing their part. Companies like Cobblestone, Ryder Homes and Centex are making hard hats mandatory on their jobsites." Delong also heads weekly safety meetings with LeDuc & Dexter field personnel and keeps them informed on OSHA safety regulations. Aside from communicating with general contractor superintendents and project managers, Delong also coordinates work force resources with other departments within LeDuc & Dexter. "Depending on the work load we have in residential we are sometimes able to help on fire sprinkle jobs, commercial work, and hydronics, which is really busy now with boilers." Delong finds the biggest reward in his work is, "Being able to figure out solutions to the problems that come up. I like to think that I've improved my problem solving skills".

Old Yeager & Kirk Site Gets A Make-Over	COMMERCIAL

Building A has one tenant moved in and doing business while the other two tenant spaces are being completed. (click image to enlarge)

At a location that has long been proposed for many uses, the old Yeager & Kirk site on Santa Rosa Avenue in Santa Rosa is getting a make-over as a commercial business site with two buildings that will house three tenants each. Koch Construction Company is the general contractor for the project.

Building B, the old Yeager & Kirk retail store, will have an additional 15 feet added on in front and 40 feet in the back of the structure. (click image to enlarge)

Building A, which sits behind Building B and is closer to the freeway, is approximately 18,000 square feet in size with 3 tenant spaces of equal size. Building A was originally a huge lumber "shed" with three walls, a roof and an open front for loading. The old structure was demolished to make way for new construction. Building B, which was the Yeager & Kirk retail store on Santa Rosa Ave., is being remodeled with additional construction in front and back of the existing structure making it about 20,000 square feet in size.

LeDuc & Dexter's commercial department has installed the sewer and water lines, along with gas piping for the HVAC system in Building A after completing shell work. Tenant improvements for both buildings include bathroom plumbing. LeDuc & Dexter has worked with Koch Construction Co. over the years on wineries, medical offices, residential homes, and other T.I. projects. "Koch Construction runs fast-paced projects in a very professional manner," says Bill Zeeb, Commercial Manager at LeDuc & Dexter for the past ten years, "They're super to work with because of their experienced people, like Bruce Brower, the project manager on this project. They're very efficient. Working with Koch has always been a great experience with great results."

Speaking Spanish On The Job	EDUCATION

A group of LeDuc & Dexter personnel are taking Spanish classes to improve communications with the many Spanish-speaking employees in the industry. (click image to enlarge)

In the construction industry, as with most California job sectors, there is a huge increase of Spanish speaking workers in the work force. Language barriers are being overcome with bilingual skills that many Californians have acquired in the state school system or other educational forums. At LeDuc & Dexter, ESL (English Second Language) classes have been held for Spanish speaking employees. Now Spanish classes are being taught to English speaking employees, managers and the owners of the company, Art Dexter and Tom LeDuc. "We have a real need to be able to communicate with not only our Spanish speaking employees, but also Spanish speaking workers from other companies on the jobsite," says Tom LeDuc. Other LeDuc & Dexter personnel taking the Spanish course include Commercial Manager Bill Zeeb, Residential Superintendent Kevin Delong, Warehouse Manager Steve Garner and warehouse employee Rudy Miranda. Garner and his staff in the warehouse are in constant contact with field employees, "A lot of the guys speak Spanish and don't understand that much English," says Miranda, "This class is already helping me understand more Spanish and it helps when the guys in the field are ordering materials because some of them only know the Spanish name for a part they need." LeDuc & Dexter got the idea for Spanish classes from one of their clients, Infineon Raceway, where Jacqueline Lacroix teaches Spanish classes to Infineon employees and personnel. Lacroix is a private school teacher who also teaches German and French. The Spanish classes at LeDuc & Dexter are held once a week over a three-month period. "It's a very basic Spanish course," says LeDuc, "We work from a book called "Spanish In Ten Minutes A Day" and we're having a lot of fun with it. It's also very beneficial for our company."