WHK IS A CERTIFIED DBE

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IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT WHK ANNOUNCES THAT WE ARE NOW A ... CERTIFIED DBE! 

FOR YEARS ELLIE KASSNER AS BEEN AT THE HELM OF THE BUSINESS MAKING THINGS HAPPEN, AND NOW WE HAVE THE CERTIFICATION REFLECTING THAT. FOR WHK, THIS MEANS OFFERING THE GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND PRIMES WE WORK WITH (AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WE HOPE TO WORK WITH IN THE FUTURE) THE VALUE ADDED SUPPLIER DIVERSITY CREDIT THEY DESERVE.  

AT WHK WE HAVE A FIRM PHILOSOPHY THAT DOING GOOD BUSINESS COMES FIRST. THE FACT THAT WE ARE A CERTIFIED WBE, AND NOW DBE, COMES SECOND. 

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON MORE FEDERAL PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE DIVERSE WORK FORCES.

WHK WORLD HEADQUARTERS RENOVATION

WHO SAID CHANGE WAS BAD?! THEY OBVIOUSLY DID NOT COME TO SEE OUR NEWLY RENOVATED OFFICE! 

BEING A THIRD GENERATION BUSINESS COMES WITH MANY AMAZING PERKS, BUT THERE CAN BE SOME CHALLENGES. FOR EXAMPLE, INHERITING THREE GENERATIONS WORTH OF DUST AND OFFICE FURNISHINGS. THAT'S NOT EVEN GETTING INTO THE DECOR, WHICH ELLIE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO DESCRIBE AS "CONSTRUCTION TRAILER CHIC FAUX WOOD PANELING". 

AS WE'VE BEEN BUSY ESTABLISHING OURSELVES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, RENOVATING OUR OFFICE WAS JUST LOW ENOUGH ON THE "TO-DO" LIST TO SKATE BY. BUT, LET'S JUST SAY, NO MATTER WHAT, YOU HAVE TO RENOVATE YOUR OFFICE EVERY THIRTY YEARS.  

PICS OF OUR NEW DIGS WILL BE UP SOON BUT IN THE MEAN TIME CHECK OUT OUR MUSEUM WORTHY COLLECTION OF FOUND ITEMS. SWING BY THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO CATCH UP AND SEE THE TRANSFORMATION FOR YOURSELF!  

FOR THOSE OF YOU UNDER THE AGE OF 50 THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT...NUMBERS 1 & 2 ARE "MEMORY DIALERS" - CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY OF THE 1980s THAT MADE SPEED DIALING A POSSIBILITY. ONE BOASTS A MEMORY OF 104 NUMBERS AND THE OTHER S…

FOR THOSE OF YOU UNDER THE AGE OF 50 THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT...

NUMBERS 1 & 2 ARE "MEMORY DIALERS" - CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY OF THE 1980s THAT MADE SPEED DIALING A POSSIBILITY. ONE BOASTS A MEMORY OF 104 NUMBERS AND THE OTHER SAVES 33 NUMBERS. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT ERIC ONCE HAD 137 FRIENDS?! WE'RE NOT BUYING IT EITHER.

THAT BEING SAID, NUMBER 3 WAS AN OLD FASHIONED ROLODEX (OF WHICH THERE ARE ACTUALLY 4 IN THE OFFICE) WHICH IS USUALLY JUST SPOKEN OF IN METAPHORS THESE DAYS. NOT A BAD IDEA FOR STORING ALL OF THOSE BUSINESS CARDS THOUGH...

AND NUMBERS 4 & 5 ARE THE OLDEST DOCUMENTS FOUND IN THE CURRENT SWEEP DATED 1991 AND 1993. THESE ARTIFACTS SUGGEST THAT THE LAST MAJOR OFFICE OVERHAUL WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 YEARS AGO. THE JOYS OF MULTIGENERATIONAL BUSINESSES! THINK WE CAN STILL EXPENSE THEM?

 

IN MOST OFFICES IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE TO HAVE BABY PICTURES OF THE BOSSES HANGING AROUND. BUT, THEN AGAIN, WE'RE NOT JUST ANY CORPORATION. ELLIE ON IS ON THE LEFT WITH THE O.G. OFFICE DOG, YUPPIE, AND DIRK IS ON THE RIGHT DIGGING A HOLE. NEVER HAS BUSINESS MANAGEMENT BEEN SO CUTE.

TOM PETRO'S RETIREMENT

WE ALL KNEW IT WAS COMING. HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT TOM PETRO'S RETIREMENT SOMEHOW STILL SNUCK UP ON US. 

LAST MONTH, AFTER OVER THIRTY YEARS WITH THE COMPANY, TOM AND MAXINE PETRO PACKED UP THEIR LIVES, INCLUDING CAPTAIN THE OFFICE DOG, AND HEADED SOUTH. 

VIRTUALLY EVERYONE WHO HAS WORKED WITH TOM OVER THE PAST DECADES HAS COME TO KNOW AND LOVE HIS CORNY JOKES AND GENUINE INTEREST IN WORKING WITH OTHERS AND PROBLEM SOLVING. THERE'S ALSO NO DENYING THAT HE WAS SOMETHING OF A NATURAL "DOOR WHISPERER," FIXING THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD'VE GIVEN UP ON. IF YOU WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE BEEN IN THE PAUL'S PASTA LUNCH CLUB OR THE LUCKY MOJO HARD HAT STICKER CLUB, YOU'RE LIKELY TO BE MISSING TOM THE MOST. 

THERE IS NO WAY TO SUMMARIZE TOM'S AMAZING PERSONALITY AND TALENTS IN A BLOG POST, BUT SINCE WE HAVE TO, WE JUST WANT TO SAY : THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF A TEAM THAT BUILT SUCH AN AMAZING COMPANY THAT REFLECTS THE BELIEFS OF OUR FAMILY. 

BEFORE YOU START SOBBING EVERYONE, KEEP IN MIND THAT WHILE TOM MAY HAVE MOVED AND TAKEN A STEP BACK FROM THE BUSINESS, HE'S STILL INVOLVED IN OUR OPERATIONS. THAT'S RIGHT, TOM WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AS A DRAFTER FOR OUR ADVANCED TEKLA DRAWINGS, AND SERVES AS A CONSULTANT FOR OUR ACCESS CONTROL WORK. 

AS WHK CONTINUES TO GROW, WE CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE THE BIG SHOES WE HAVE TO FILL, BUT ALSO KNOW THAT THE FOUNDATION SET BY WOLF, ERIC AND TOM WILL LET US BUILD WELL INTO THE FUTURE.

ENGINEERS FERRY TOUR OF THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE PROJECT

YESTERDAY THE BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION AND THE CONSTRUCTION ADVANCEMENT INSTITUTE MADE OUR DREAMS COME TRUE! DIRK, ERIC AND ELLIE ATTENDED AN ENGINEER GUIDED TOUR OF THE TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE PROJECT. BELOW ARE SOME PICTURES AND INTERESTING FACTS WE LEARNED ABOUT THE PROJECT. 

  • 39 CRANES WERE MOBILIZED AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PROJECT (PUN INTENDED)
  • 1,100 - 900 CRAFT WORKERS ARE ON THE JOB DAILY
  • 3 CONCRETE PLANTS WERE ON THE JOB, WHICH WILL UTILIZE 200,000 CUBIC YARDS OF CONCRETE NOT INCLUDING PRECAST SECTIONS
  • GIRDERS ARE LIFTED IN 350' SECTIONS 

THIS PROJECT IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE FOR LOCALS LIKE US, AND GETTING THE INSIDER TOUR OF THE JOB WAS ICING ON THE CAKE! 

BIG THANKS TO LAUREL BRUNELLE FOR MAKING THIS ALL POSSIBLE! 

LIFTING THE 350' GIRDER S

LIFTING THE 350' GIRDER S

IN A TWIST OF FATE, WE ACTUALLY WORKED ON THE TOP BRACKETS OF OUR ESCORT BOAT!

IN A TWIST OF FATE, WE ACTUALLY WORKED ON THE TOP BRACKETS OF OUR ESCORT BOAT!

FIRST WORK ON THE NEW TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE

WHK IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'LL BE BEGINNING OUR FIRST WORK ON THE NEW TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE PROJECT IN 2016! AS LONG-TIME ROCKLAND COUNTY RESIDENTS, WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THE BRIDGE GO UP WITH AWE. WE'VE BEEN BIDING OUR TIME, WAITING FOR THE RIGHT PROJECT TO CROSS OUR PATH AND IT'S FINALLY HERE!  

WHK WILL BE WORKING WITH ANDRON CONSTRUCTION ON THE PERMANENT MAINTENANCE FACILITY DESCRIBED BELOW. WE'RE OVER THE MOON TO BE INVOLVED AND WILL KEEP EVERYONE UPDATED ON THE PROJECT AS IT UNFOLDS.

NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN BUILDERS

AT WHK, WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH PASSING THE TORCH BETWEEN GENERATIONS.  BUT, IT'S EXTRA EXCITING WHEN THE NEXT GENERATION OF BUILDERS IS ACKNOWLEDGED OUTSIDE OF OUR OWN ORGANIZATION.

LAST NIGHT, ELLIE KASSNER RECEIVED THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN BUILDERS AWARD FROM THE WOMEN BUILDER'S COUNCIL. THE EVENT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND PACKED WITH TREMENDOUS INDUSTRY INFLUENCERS. 

AS PROJECTS MOUNT UP HERE, WHK IS CONTINUING TO BUILD IT'S LEGACY IN THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA, BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. 

WECONNECT MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS AN AMAZING AND REWARDING ENDEAVOR, BUT CAN BE ISOLATING WITHOUT A COMMUNITY TO WORK WITHIN. WITH THE MISSION OF CREATING A COMMUNITY FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, NEW YORK CITY SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES HAS LAUNCHED AN AMAZING NEW PROGRAM, WENYC. BASED ON A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY, NYC SBS HAS CRAFTED A GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAM TO CONNECT WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, AND HELP US MAXIMIZE OUR EARNING POTENTIAL VIA DEDICATED RESOURCES. ONE RESOURCE IS THE WECONNECT PROGRAM, IN WHICH 17 SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OWNERS WERE CHOSEN TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH OTHERS.

AT W.H. KASSNER, INC., WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR OWN PRESIDENT, ELLIE KASSNER, HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THE PILOT MENTOR PROGRAM! WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PROGRAM ELLIE SAID, "I'M SO INSPIRED BY THE OTHER MENTORS. I'M HONORED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN. BUT MOST OF ALL I'M THRILLED TO SHARE MY STORY, AND THE STORY OF WHK, AND GIVE BACK TO OTHERS." WE COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER.

MTA SMALL BUSINESS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

IN NO SMALL FEAT, W.H. KASSNER, INC. WAS JUST ACCEPTED IN TO THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY'S SMALL BUSINESS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM! THE PROGRAM OFFERS SMALLER CONTRACTORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE MTA AT A GREATER CAPACITY THAN THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO MANAGE ON THEIR OWN. THROUGH GUIDANCE AND SPECIAL BID OFFERS, COMPANIES LIKE WHK WILL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE MTA AND CONTROL OUR OWN DESTINY ALL AT ONCE! WE CAN'T WAIT TO START WORKING TOGETHER!

THE BUY AMERICAN ACT

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE’VE NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT TREND TOWARDS FABRICATION COMPLIANCE WITH AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL PROVISION, ESPECIALLY ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS. THE REQUIREMENT, COLLOQUIALLY REFERRED TO AS “BUY AMERICAN,” ENSURES THAT FABRICATORS USE IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS THAT ARE PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES. WHEN DELIVERING THE METAL FABRICATIONS, THE FABRICATOR IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR SUBMITTING MILL CERTIFICATIONS DOCUMENTING THE AMERICAN ORIGINS OF THE METAL.
(FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY LAWYERS.)

NOT ONLY DOES THE AIS REQUIREMENT WORK TO STIMULATE THE U.S. ECONOMY, BUT IT ALSO GUARANTEES AN ELEVATED QUALITY OF MATERIAL USED ON A PROJECT. 

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RESOURCES

BEING TRULY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO MEANS YOU'RE ALWAYS LEARNING. HERE AT WHK, WE LEARN FROM OUR PAST GENERATIONS, OUR SUCCESS, OUR MISTAKES, OUR CLIENTS AND SUPPLIERS, AND OUTSIDE SOURCES. BELOW ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SOURCES FOR STAYING IN TUNE WITH CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRENDS : 

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION (AISC) : AISCs EXTENSIVE LIBRARY COVERS EVERYTHING FROM BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS TO NEW TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND APPLICATIONS FOR FABRICATION.

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL, AND REINFORCING IRONWORKERS (IW) : OUR INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF IRONWORKERS OFFERS GREAT SPECIFIC TRADE INFORMATION IN THEIR MAGAZINE. THE IRONWORKER MAGAZINE CONNECTS TRADESMEN, UNIONS, AND INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND INFORM US OF NOTABLE PROJECTS, TRENDS AND UPCOMING LEGISLATION. (REMEMBER, THE PERSONAL IS POLITICAL!)

WOMEN BUILDERS COUNCIL (WBC) : THE WOMEN BUILDERS COUNCIL NOT ONLY UNITES WOMEN CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS IN THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA, BUT ALSO STAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF COMMUNICATING MWBE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS. 

CLASS CENTRAL : WHILE THE INTERNET IS FULL OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE (CAT VIDEOS ANYONE?), ONE OF IT'S BEST KEPT SECRETS IS MASSIVE OPEN ONLINE COURSES (MOOCs). THESE FREE COURSES, MOST OF WHICH ARE SELF PACED, GIVE YOU ACCESS TO BASIC ENGINEERING CLASSES, OR, OUR FAVORITE, STEEL 101. MANY OF THE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED BY HARVARD, MIT AND STANFORD. TAKING A MOOC MAY NOT GET YOU A P.E. STAMP, BUT IT DOES HELP YOU GROW YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDUSTRY, UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF YOUR TRADE. 

FORBES ENTREPRENEUR AND HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW : ALTHOUGH THESE RESOURCES AREN'T NECESSARILY CONSTRUCTION SPECIFIC, THEY DO OFFER SOME GREAT ADVICE ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS. BECAUSE THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS SO UNIQUE, IT CAN BECOME INSULAR AND, UNFORTUNATELY, KEEP US FROM STAYING CURRENT ON IMPLEMENTING BETTER BUSINESS PRACTICES. 

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR FAVORITE SITES, AND BE SURE TO SHARE YOUR OWN!

PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL

A SENIOR STEEL ESTIMATOR AT ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN THE THE WORLD ONCE TOLD ME THAT HE COULD TELL IF SOMEONE WAS THE REAL DEAL FROM WHAT THEY KNEW ABOUT PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL. 

AT WHK, WE'RE CERTAINLY THE REAL DEAL, SO HERE GOES! 

STAINLESS STEEL IS STAINLESS BECAUSE OF PROTECTIVE CHROMIUM OXIDES ON THE SURFACE OF THE MATERIAL. WHETHER AT THE ORIGINAL MILL, THE SUPPLIER OR THE FABRICATION SHOP, STAINLESS STEEL CAN BE SCRATCHED, PITTED OR OTHERWISE EXPOSED IN THE COURSE OF NORMAL PROCESSING. THIS EXPOSURE OF IRON CAN ALLOW FOR RUST TO FORM. PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL WORKS TO COUNTERACT THAT EXPOSURE. 

THE MOST COMMON AND PROFESSIONAL PROCESS INVOLVES CLEANING THE STEEL WITH NITRIC ACID, WHICH CLEANS THE STEEL AND SERVES AS AN OXIDIZING AGENT.  ALTERNATIVELY, STRONG CONCENTRATIONS OF CITRIC ACID CAN BE USED TO PASSIVATE THE STAINLESS STEEL. BY REMOVING FREE IRON AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS FROM THE SURFACE OF THE STAINLESS, THE CHROMIUM IS REOXIDIZED.

FUN FACT : LITTERED AROUND OUR WEBSITES YOU MAY HAVE FOUND SOME REFERENCES TO BREWING AND DRINKING ALCOHOL. CONVERSATIONS ON PASSIVATING STAINLESS STEEL ARE SOMETIMES PART OF BREWERS FORUMS BECAUSE MANY BREWERS USE STAINLESS STEEL VESSELS, WHICH CAN SOMETIMES BEGIN RUSTING DUE TO EXPOSURE TO CLEANING CHEMICALS.

HOT ROLLED STEEL VS COLD ROLLED STEEL

IF YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED THIS OUT YET, I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT : AT WHK WE LOVE WHAT WE DO! PART OF THAT LOVE COMES FROM A GENUINE INTEREST IN OUR FIELD, FROM THE GENERAL TO THE NITTY-GRITTY.

WHILE WE MOST CONSTRUCTION APPLICATIONS CALL FOR HOT ROLLED STEEL, SOME SPECIAL PROJECTS REQUIRE COLD ROLLED STEEL. CHECK OUT THE VISUAL BELOW OUTLINING THE BASIC DIFFERENCES. ENJOY!

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