September 1980

Soulé Building Systems NEWS & VIEWS

Sept. 1980 — Vol. 1, No. 3

Builder Profile: Romac-Pacific's Alan Rosenberg

Romac-Pacific in San Rafael, California joined forces with Soule' in 1963 and has maintained the same comfortable number of three in their staff even with the increased amount of company growth experienced.

Alan Rosenberg, Owner and President, is the company's right arm with background in sales, product knowledge, architecture and construction. With these enormous resources, it can be understood why the majority of the company's work is design and build or negotiated.

Alan was born and raised in New York. He was educated there but polished on the West Coast. Who would ever guess that "this one-time Yankee" would come to California from New York via Buffalo and end up being in the metal building business?

Alan graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1952 with a B.A. in Architecture and enlisted in the Navy Reserve as an ensign the same year. By 1958, he was a full graduate architect from New York State University and decided to make residence here in 1959.

He has three children living and studying in the San Diego area that he visits frequently on the way to his Palm Springs retreat. When time allows from hectic schedule, Alan dabbles at gardening, golfing, bowling and plays the money market with help from his realty license.

Making sure that things are running smoothly in the office while Alan is selling or hobbying are Cliff Cole, his very capable coordinator and estimator, and Janet Brodski, secretary and bookkeeper.

Janet learned about cash flow quickly from Alan. As a result, she talked him into renting space in her unused chicken shed for Soule' part storage since she lives in Petaluma, the one time chicken capitol of the West.

*Photo: Hahn Distributing Inc., Suisun, California.*

Kudos Abound for New Soule'-built All-Metal Distributing Facility

Sitting at the junction of two busy freeways in Suisun, California is a new warehouse facility that successfully combines eye-catching aesthetics and energy-efficiency through use of an all-metal building system designed by Los Angeles-based Soule' Steel Buildings, a division of Soule' Steel Company.

The new facility was constructed last year by Soule' builder Romac Pacific of San Rafael, California for Hahn Distributing, a local Anheuser-Busch wholesaler. Consisting of three contiguous wings, one each for offices, truck docking and cold storage, the new building provides Hahn with nearly 24,000 square feet of low maintenance operating space. The new building is such a fine example of the all-metal medium, in fact, that it was recently named Soule' Steel's "Commercial Building of the Year" for 1979.

"Naturally enough, our first priority in the design of the new structure was the refrigerated warehouse," said distributor president Woody Hahn. "We've got some 17,500 square feet of cold storage space. This can send our summer fuel bills skyrocketing. Though the use of a highly effective Soule' Steel Temp-Con cold storage system, however, we have been able to realize substantial savings in our operating costs."

Temp-Con® panels, which feature low-conductance polyurethane insulation sandwiched between 26 gauge steel sheets, have almost twice the insulating value of such common insulating materials as fiberglass and styrofoam. Outside, the white roof panels can reflect up to 80% of all solar rays. Inside, the white facing reduces the amount of lighting required and helps to maintain equal illumination throughout. Furthermore, the factory-applied baked-enamel finish of the panels is designed for low maintenance.

To create a doubly-effective cold storage environment for Hahn Distributing, Romac Pacific supplemented the Temp-Con system with three inches of overhead batting insulation. The virtually jointless, steel-framed building provides a continuous insulating envelope with the temperature control, high ceilings and free span required for easy, efficient storage and shipment of beverage cartons.

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Bob Owens Brings Unique Experience to Newly-Created Construction Post

Bob Owens, who has been appointed Manager of Construction for Soule' Steel Buildings, will be responsible for the general supervision of erection of all building contracted by the Soule' Buildings Division. He will also work with Soule' builders to help them meet their particular construction requirements.

This new position has been established to aid independent Soule' builders where Soule' handles on-site construction of dealer-bid jobs. This new contruction service available to the builder can result in faster and more efficient erection for the building owner.

*Photo: Bob Owens, Manager of Construction*

Owens brings to the post extensive experience in the construction industry. He joined Soule' in 1958 and became Field Superintendent for the Building Division in 1962. Most recently, Owens assisted in developing a Construction Department for Zamil-Soule' Steel Buildings Co. Ltd., Soule''s partnership with the Al-Zamils in Saudi-Arabia, from 1977 through part of 1979. Some of Bob's comments on this experience, both at work and socially, are interesting to share:

"On October 1, 1977, I arrived at the office of Zamil-Soule' Steel Buildings Company in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. I had been sent here on assignment to train a British field erection supervisor and to provide further training to the eighteen Philippino nationals who were completing the erection of the Zamil-Soule' manufacturing plant building. These eighteen men were to be split up into three six-man erection crews and trained to

*Photo: Ready to move out from Zamil-Soule' plant to Hoffuf*

*Photo: Typical Saudi construction site*

function as individual teams providing erection services for the company on a selected basis throughout Saudi Arabia.

"I found the Philippinos to be very pleasant, hard-working and eager to do a good job. They all had some previous construction experience and about half of them had previous steel erection experience. None of them, however, had ever done any sheeting or finish trim work. We all got along well and within a very short time had established a very close working relationship.

"On January 6, 1978, the Owens family arrived at the Daharan airport where my wife Lil and daughter Bev were awed by the unusual sights, the unusual attire and the disorganization of the customs and baggage check area.

"Our first three nights in our new home were a little tough. We had a power failure in the building and as a result, over half the electricity in our apartment was out. Consequently, we had no heat and it is cold in Saudi in January. So Lil's first three evening meals were cooked by candlelight. Actually, it was quite romantic. Especially during the Moslem evening prayer time when you could hear the prayer caller summoning the people to

*Photo: Street scene, Hoffuf, Saudi Arabia*

prayer at the local mosque.

"Saudi Arabia is a very restrictive country. There are no movies or night clubs of any kind and there are no alcoholic beverages in the Kingdom. So you make your own entertainment which usually involves a social evening with friends.

"By the end of April, twenty-four additional recruits had arrived along with a field erection supervisor from Soule' San Francisco, Sonny Williams. Sonny would be assigned to the Jubal project about sixty miles north of Dammam. This job involved fifty-four facilities buildings for two five-thousand non-workers camps for the Jubal Industrial complex. This project was scheduled to last one year and would require four Zamil-Soule' erection crews.

"During the next five months, we encountered a few problems. One of which was how to provide living accommodations where none were available for our crews on those distant job sites. My first solution to this problem was the purchase of two self-contained travel trailers which worked out nicely for a small crew and a job of short duration. But to put a crew of six men for six weeks to two months in a trailer this size was just out of the question. I solved this problem by designing and building the Zamil-Soule' Porta-Buildings, each of which was 11 feet wide x 18 feet long x 8 feet high. One was equipped as a mess hall/shower and toilet building and the other was equipped as a sleeping building. Both were one hundred percent portable and could be loaded and unloaded by

*Photo: Farewell ceremonies at Zamil-Soule'*

either a crew or fork lift. The Porta-Buildings were built entirely from standard Zamil-Soule' components utilizing two-inch Temp-Con Panels for the walls and roof. A portable diesel generator provided electric power for the A.C. units and lights and a portable knock down water tower provided the water supply. The erectors were more than happy living in these units and the cost of their construction turned out to be far less than the cost of a self-contained travel trailer.

"In mid-1979, the entire operation was fine-tuned and all our men were seasoned veterans. We had erected Zamil-Soule' buildings of just about every size and in just about every part of the Kingdom except the Westerly part in and around Jeddah. Shortly after mid-year the company announced the opening of an office in Jeddah and we immediately made plans for an erection operation to support that area. Two crews would be required.

"By November 1979, the Zamil-Soule' erection operation had grown to a total of twelve crews. We had come a long way in two years from only

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Ehlers Named to National Accounts Post

*Photo: Bob Ehlers, National Accounts Rep*

Robert Ehlers has been named National Accounts Representative for Soule' Steel Company. He will continue to work out of Soule''s Buildings Division office in Los Angeles and will be responsible for working closely with major corporations. Along with Representative Otis Gravem and National Accounts Manager Bob Weyand, the three-man team will greatly expand the capability of the Soule' Builder Network to serve large accounts.

Ehlers has been with Soule' for one year, most recently as District Sales Manager. Before joining Soule', he was with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in Los Angeles, California where he served as Production Control Supervisor.

Ehlers is a 1968 graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, and has since performed work in business, education and anthropology. While in the U.S. Air Force, he spent four years as a medical observer and as a trainer in the effects of high altitudes and survival techniques. Ehlers and his wife Marsha have one son and make their home in Whittier, California.

Suprise Roast for George Ford

On May 17, 1980, George Ford, the recently retired Vice President of the Building Division, was "honored" with a surprise roast. The function was held at the Hyatt Hotel in Palo Alto, California. George, his wife Peg and their two sons, Steve and Tom, were hosted by the following dealers and their wives: Carl and Mary Brooks, Gene and Sharon Springer, Ben and Sue Cairo, Arnold and Emma Rashkin, Fred and Olga Pace, Earl and Lucille Smith and Bud and Betty Wallace.

The surprise effect was fully achieved through careful planning. After being seated for what he thought was just a family dinner, George began to see various people that he knew from his days at Soule'. Eventually everyone gathered in a private room for the evening festivities. Carl Brooks acted as Master of Ceremonies of the roast proceedings as all the gentlemen proceeded to "honor" George. He took everything that was said about him in good humor and then made his rebuttals to all of the people who had said so many "kind" words about him.

A suede jacket was presented to George from all those attending and Sharon Springer compiled a book of photographic memorabilia.

Soule' People: William H. Phillips, Man-on-the-Run

*Photo: Bill Phillips, General Sales Manager*

William H. Phillips, General Sales Manager for Soule' Steel, originally joined the company in 1977 as National Accounts Manager. Since that time Bill has served the company in many capacities including Dealer Sales Manger, General Sales Manager, Domestic Operations and now as General Sales Manager, Domestic and International Operations. In 1977 after only 3 months with Soule', he traveled to Saudi Arabia to spend six months working with Zamil-Soule' as that company began to start operations.

Before joining Soule', he spent 11 years with U.S. Steel as Senior Sales Representative. In that capacity Bill was responsible for both sales and area development of architectural products. As Field Sales Manager, he also spent 8 years directing the sales of pre-engineered steel buildings throughout the western United States for Pasco Steel. He earned his B.A. in Economics from U.C.L.A. With his educational and professional background, Bill is a valuable asset to the Soule' Steel team.

On a more personal side, Bill and his wife Sally have three sons. Like their father, they're all adventuresome, with widely varied interests. Kurt is working in Europe and the Mid-East area with an outside firm putting up Soule' Temp-Con buildings. Chris is an accomplished guitarist and travels the country rock circuit while Scott is a roughneck working oil fields of the West.

Bill is a great story teller and can draw on a multitude of experiences from over the years. He played both football and rugby for U.C.L.A. and gives a colorful account of the year he played in the Rose Bowl game. And there are the yarns of his days as a Navy jet pilot. Other stories incorporate his worldly travels including such exotic locales as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Pago-Pago, Java-Langsor, Rio, Cairo, Athens and the Congo, to name a few. What a wonderful grandfather he is going to make some day.

But first, if Bill has his way and his persuasive sales abilities stay in high gear, you can eventually expect to see Soule' Building Systems in all those worldwide locations as well.

Information Systems Expands

In a recent effort to increase the effiency of processing corporate-wide information, Soule' Steel expanded its Information Systems Department. The expansion included promotions for staff members and a new plotter for the production of drawings for the Buildings Division. Two of the staff affected are Dale Cluse and Stephen Bencik.

Cluse, previously Computer Services Manager at Soule', was named Director-Information Systems and will be responsible for all corporate-wide data activities including development of the department's long-range applications program. He will also supervise programs for steel mill operations at the Carson, California plant.

Cluse brings over 16 years experience in the steel and metal building industry to this post. Prior to joining Soule' in 1978, he served with Republic Steel Corporation in Van Wert, Ohio for 14 years.

Stephen Bencik was also named Manager-Data Processing, Engineering Systems for the expanded Information Systems Department. In this new capacity, Bencik is responsible for all engineering applications. He is also responsible for overall program support for the Buildings Division including Soule''s frame design, shop detailing and erection drawing programs.

Bencik also came to Soule' from Republic Steel Corporation. Since joining Soule' in 1979, Bencik has served as a System Analyst/Programmer and most recently as Supervisor-Computer Services Programming for the Buildings Division.

A major equipment addition to the Information Systems Department is a new plotter. The CalComp Model 1051 is used primarily to produce drawings for the Buildings Division. The new plotter is more advanced and offers twice the plotting speed of the existing model 936 with a smoother, more well-defined character set for increased readability. Because it is compatible with the 936 and utilizes the same paper and ink, the new CalComp 1051 plotter requires no operational or programming changes.

The entire Company as well as independent Soule' builders will benefit from the expanded Information Systems Department with its highly competent staff and advanced equipment.

*Photo: Dale Cluse*

*Photo: Steve Bencik*

Drafting Departments takes on New People and a New Look

The company decided early this year to start a technical training/drafting school for the Soule' Buildings Division. After interviewing 25 candidates, 12 were selected for a 12-week training period. Marvin De Poster was named as their instructor, and was well qualified with over 15 years experience in the Soule' Drafting Department.

Through the good graces of Bob Gebauer of the Carson Plant, an office next to the former Fabrication Shop that would accommodate the large group fortunately became available. It was a great advantage for the trainees to be able to step into the shop area and actually see the component parts of an assembly.

After the 12-week training period, the group had a good grasp of the basic concepts of steel building drafting, detailing of parts and order writing. With classes ending on May 5, 1980, another problem arose. How to fit ten of the original twelve people into the Drafting Department at the L.A. office? The existing drafting room was expanded by laboriously demolishing a load-bearing plaster wall. After two days of hammering and reconstruction, a ragged hole was turned into a very nice framed opening between two spacious work areas.

The new draftspersons were then divided into two groups giving five people to Stan Adam's squad and five people to Dick Graf's squad, making a total of 9 persons for each squad.

The initial indoctrination period of 12 weeks is just the beginning of a continuing training period to make these new members of the Soule' team into efficient, productive Soule' draftspersons.

*Photo: Two views of newly-expanded drafting department*

Deanna Will Be Happy to Help You

The smiling, friendly voice of Deanna Rosser will now be heard answering calls for Frank Burke, Bill Phillips and Rosalie Kotch. Deanna has been promoted to Senior Secretary, transferring from the Sales Service Department.

Bob Owens

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eighteen men and one erection supervisor. We now totaled seventy-two Philippino erectors, four Philippino general foremen, one construction manager and three district field supervisors."

The skill and construction experience of Bob Owens was highly prized by the Saudi's and the extraordinary demands they placed on his imagination and resourcefulness have only enhanced the talents that can now benefit all Soule' builders.

Distributing Facility Cont'd.

The beige Desertone finish of the Temp-Con warehouse panels is carried through in the matching metal fascia panels of the adjacent office and truck docking areas. An all-metal canopy extends over the office, which features an attractive stucco-finished exterior, to help keep it continuously cool despite the warm California climate.

The results of thoughtful, imaginative planning on the parts of both Soule' Steel and Romac Pacific are evident in Hahn Distributing's new facility. Not only has the building been singled out for recognition by Soule' Steel, but recently it was similarly honored by Anheuser-Busch. The new facility now serves as a special demonstration model for a corporate wholesaler signage brochure --to inform other Anheuser-Busch distributors of the correct way to raise their profiles and contemporize the wholesaler's image.

Soulé BUILDING SYSTEMS P. O. Box 71618, Florence Branch Los Angeles, CA 90001

*Handwritten: Howard Soulé*

BD-494-L