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Painting Contractor to Lead ASA

Friday, March 9, 2012

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A St. Louis painting contractor has been elected president of the American Subcontractors Association for 2012-13.

ASA members elected Walter Bazan Jr., of Bazan Painting Co., to the post March 2 at the association’s  2012 Business Forum and Convention in San Antonio, TX.

Bazan Painting Co.

Walter Bazan Jr., the new ASA president, is the president of Bazan Painting Co., a spirited St. Louis painting contractor established in 1977.

Founded in 1977 by Bazan’s father, Walter Bazan Sr., Bazan Painting is a full-service industrial, commercial, institutional and residential painting contractor with clients nationwide.

Thumbs Up

In his acceptance speech, Bazan Jr. acknowledged his father, “the solid provider of the family.”

“When we started Bazan Painting Company in 1977, my dad inspired me, taught me true ambition, determination and the value of hard work,” younger Bazan said. “Together, he and I built a strong company with a great reputation. So today, I am taking this moment to publicly thank my dad for all those valuable lessons.”

Bazan Painting Co.

Founded in 1977, Bazan Painting Co. of St. Louis is a second-generation contractor serving industrial, commercial, institutional and residential clients.

Bazan talked about leadership, and especially leading by getting consensus. He announced that ASA’s board of directors, Rap Council, staff and other leaders would participate in a strategic planning session June 7 in St. Louis, in advance of the board of directors meeting June 8-9.

He called for “a vision for ASA—our plan to recover and grow. We will build our new vision for ASA together, all of us, by consensus.”

Bazan noted that subcontractors share many common bonds that make it easy to form friendships on the job.

ASA

Walter Bazan Sr. gives his son a thumbs-up during the younger Bazan’s acceptance speech as the new president of the American Subcontractors Association.

“Day in and day out, we all fight the same battles,” he said. “We work hard, we try to get paid, and we try to provide a good living for our workers and our families.”

Other Officers, Directors

ASA members also elected these other officers for 2012-13:

• Vice President: Mike Jones, M.L. Jones Acoustics Inc., Tulsa, OK;

• Treasurer: Jack Austhof, Sobie Inc., Dutton, MI; and

• Secretary: M. Brian Johnson, Soil Consultants Inc., Charleston, SC.

New directors chosen to serve three-year terms beginning July 1 are:

• Jeff Banker, Banker Insulation Inc., Chandler, AZ;

• Letitia Haley-Barker, Haley-Greer Inc., Dallas, TX;

• Scott Holbrook, Crawford & Bangs, Covina, CA;

• Mike Holland, Marek Brothers Systems Inc., Houston, TX; and

• John Lloyd, Lloyd’s Construction Services, Savage, MN.

Awards

The group also presented its Golden Hammer Award to ASA of Texas and the five Texas chapters for their grassroots advocacy efforts to improve Texas’ public policy environment. ASA’s annual “Report Card” recently rated Texas as having the most improved policy and contract environment for subcontractors over the last year.

ASA also presented its first-ever National Construction Best Practices Awards to five construction contractors that “demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment to best industry practices in 2011.”

Those recipients were:

• Alberici Constructors, St. Louis, MO;

• Bigane Paving Company, Chicago, IL;

• F.A. Rohrbach, Allentown, PA;

• Ondra-Huyett Associates, Allentown, PA.; and

• Rives Construction, Irondale, AL.

Finally, the group presented 2011 Excellence in Ethics Certificates to seven contractors. To achieve certification, applicants must answer questions about the firm’s corporate ethics policies and procedures, its construction practices, and its general business practices. Each also is required to submit detailed documentation, including sealed letters of recommendation from a customer, a competitor and a supplier. Certified this year were:

• F.A. Rohrbach, Allentown, PA;

• Holes Inc., Houston, TX;

• Lloyd’s Construction Services, Savage, MN;

• Marek Brothers Systems Inc., Houston, TX;

• Markham Contracting Company Inc., Phoenix, AZ;

• South Valley Drywall, Littleton, CO; and

• Western Engineering Contractors Inc., Loomis, CA.

Comment from Paul Powers, (3/12/2012, 12:29 PM)

I have grown up in the paint industry with the Bazan Family and can tell you personally that their company is a very well managed and professional painting organization with a solid focus on quality and craftsmanship. I believe that the ASA will realize in a short period of time the benefits of electing Walter, Jr. as their President. He has become an excellent leader who will search out and listen to the comments and suggestions of the members in the best interest of the Association. Congratulations Walter and best wishes for you and the organization in the years to come. I would have loved to have been their to hear Jr's acknowledgement of his Father. Walter Bazan Sr. is a kind and conscientious businessman and has been a mentor not only to his son, but those of us who have worked with him over the years. Thank you as well. PS: Nice Picture - the glasses make the man !!! Sincerely, Paul M. Powers National Sales Manager / SS Division Watson Coatings, Inc. NACE Certified Coatings Inspector #5643