Greg Savage, director of sustainable construction for Mount Airy-based John S. Clark Company, and Rence Callahan, vice president of Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce, Architects, will present an overview of the emerging environmental trends in commercial buildings.

The meeting is open to the public and runs from 11:30 to 1 p.m. March 14 at the club, 200 W. Second St. Cost: $14. For information, contact Judy Sutherin at 724-7077 or Judy.Sutherin@ourclub.com.

John S. Clark Company presented the first $5,000 to the Surry Community College Foundation, which will benefit 10 students attending Surry Community College in Dobson. In coming weeks, the company will also present $5,000 checks at Forsyth Technical Community College, Guilford Technical Community College, Brunswick Community College and Cape Fear Community College.

Each school may award 10 scholarships, half of them to students selected from among the “non-traditional student” category; that is, adult students returning to school due to job loss or downsizing. All scholarship candidates must be full-time students majoring in a curriculum related to the construction industry; be residents of the college’s home county or an adjacent county; be able to demonstrate financial need; and fulfill several other criteria. Administrators at each college will handle the selection process and propose potential scholarship winners to John S. Clark Company.

“With the successes that John S. Clark has enjoyed over the decades, we are fortunate to be in a position to help one of our most valuable assets, our community-college students,” said Richard Vaughn, John S. Clark’s chief executive officer. “The scholarship program represents a continuum in our history of support to communities that sustain us and enrich our lives. And it is equally satisfying that the scholarships will contribute to helping displaced workers prepare for re-entry into the job market.”

John S. Clark Company is one of the oldest and largest general building contractors in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad and in the Southeast, and a leading provider of in-house design-build services. Founded in 1958, the company has its headquarters in Mount Airy and full-service offices in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Wilmington.

Insteel Industries is one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. The company manufactures and markets prestressed concrete strand and welded wire reinforcement, including concrete pipe reinforcement, engineered structural mesh and standard welded wire reinforcement. Insteel’s products are sold primarily to manufacturers of concrete products used in nonresidential construction.

Headquartered in Surry County, North Carolina, Insteel operates six manufacturing facilities in the United States.

None of the contracts are for projects in Surry County, but Smith-Rowe Inc. of Mount Airy had four winning bids.

The contracts are to:

• Replace the bridge on Rivermont Road (S.R. 1402) over Nancy Rhodes Creek between Cole Mill Road and Rose of Sharon Road in Durham County. Work on the $539,351 project is scheduled to start between March 3 and May 15, and be finished within 180 days.
• Replace the Wallburg-High Point Road (S.R. 1741) bridge over Spurgeon Creek in Thomasville. Work on the $1.2-million project may begin as early as March 3, with final completion scheduled for Nov. 15.
• Replace the N.C. 801 bridge over Fulton Creek in Davie County. Work on the $1.2-million project may begin as early as March 3, with final completion scheduled for June 15, 2009.
• Replace the Mitzpah Church Road (S.R. 1631) bridge over Muddy Creek near Rural Hall in Forsyth County. Work on the $598,671 project may begin between March 15 and June 1, with final completion set for 135 days after work begins.

Now in its 25th year, Smith-Rowe Inc. specializes in bridge, tunnel and elevated highway construction. The company employs about 75 people. Dun & Bradstreets estimates its annual sales at $12.5 million. David Rowe is the company’s president.

The next NCDOT board meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 6, in Room 150 of the Transportation Building at the corner of Wilmington and Morgan streets in downtown Raleigh. On Wednesday, March 5, board committees will begin meeting at 8:30 a.m.

White Sulphur Springs has only 92 hillside home sites on 145 acres. The development will encourage a lifestyle that embraces family-oriented activities in a historic location, said real-estate broker and owner Burke Robertson, and will foster an environment where neighbors will be friends.

Located in North Carolina’s wine country, White Sulphur Springs is 40 minutes from Winston-Salem, 60 minutes from Greensboro and 90 minutes from Charlotte.

“We are just eight miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway and three miles from Mount Airy. Yet every convenience is within 10 minutes — without the traffic, noise, intensity and stress of busy city life,” Robertson added.

White Sulphur Springs is centered on the property formerly occupied by a legendary turn-of-the-century hotel of the same name. The grand hotel enticed affluent travelers from the East Coast, Europe and South America to enjoy the lush mountain landscapes, rejuvenating spring waters and cool hillside breezes.

More than 2.5 miles of nature trails meander throughout the heavily wooded property and the Ararat River borders the 7.5-acre front lawn. The riverbanks will remain undeveloped for residents and guests to fish, canoe or kayak, wade in the cool, crystal water or just watch the river as it flows along. A new Spring House will be built at the site of the historic mineral spring (which still flows). A 3,500-square-foot covered outdoor Pavilion, on the site of the original dancing pavilion, will be a center for community activities and family gatherings.

Nearly six acres have been set aside for a planned 28-room Inn and 12 guest cottages. A dining room and restaurant will be available to guests and residents alike and concierge service will be available.

Pinnacle Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the Carolinas’ commercial construction industry. The Pinnacle pays tribute to excellence in the industry, reinforces standards of construction excellence to the greater community and raises the profile of member firms.

Carolina Environmental Contracting won Pinnacle Award for “Best Subcontractor/Specialty Contractor.” The Surry County company, headquartered at 122 Pine Ridge Road, specializes in the installation of erosion and sediment control systems for the protection of waterways, woodlands, wetlands and other environmentally sensitive areas. The firm’s 68 employees have built its revenues to the $6-million-dollar range.

Joanne Cheatham is the company’s president.

Around 1958, Clark left a job at R.H. Pinnix Construction Co. in Mount Airy and formed his own company, John S. Clark Company. Vaughn joined him there as a project manager. When Clark died at the young age of 44, Vaughn bought the company, resolving to maintain the values that Clark had embraced in Scouting and in his company’s philosophy. In keeping with those values, Vaughn later gave 60 percent of the company to key employees who helped him grow the company into one of the most respected brand names in the construction industry.

Vaughn, now the company’s chief executive officer, today credits John S. Clark Company LLC’s 50th year of successful service to adhering to those fundamental Scouting traditions.

“Providing exceptional value by gaining the trust and loyalty of our customers is built right into our mission statement,” Vaughn said. “That basic premise has led to our strong financial position and allowed us to invest heavily in our communities and our employees.”

Over the years, John S. Clark Company LLC has grown into the largest general contractor in northwest North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region and one of the largest in the Southeast United States. It has consistently been ranked in Engineering News-Record’s Top 400 General Construction Firms in the U.S.. Two years ago, the magazine ranked John S. Clark Company as the nation’s 15th-largest contracting company for distribution and warehouse construction, with $56 million in projects completed in those sectors, and as the 21st largest retail construction general contractors after completing $151.6 million worth of projects. John C. Clark Company is among The Business Journal’s “Top 5 General Construction Firms” in North Carolina.

John S. Clark Company has completed projects in 24 states. The company’s work includes industrial, commercial, multi-family, retail, health sciences, technology and church construction. John S. Clark Company also handles tenant upfits and building improvement projects regardless of size.

Nearly 300 employees work from the company’s headquarters in Surry County and at offices in Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Wilmington. With an annual payroll in excess of $18 million, payouts for goods and services of $250 million dollars and many charitable interests, John S. Clark Company continues to have a tremendous economic and social impact on the Triad.

Far from resting on its laurels, John S. Clark Company continues to grow and adjust to changing needs and opportunities, Last month it announced a new Triad Commercial Division in Greensboro to better serve the changing needs of the Triad’s commercial-construction marketplace. The Winston-Salem office, home to the Retail Division, is undergoing a major expansion and a $600,000 renovation to keep up with growth in the retail-market sector. The Building Improvement Division (formerly known as Special Projects) will be moving to new space in downtown Winston-Salem at 11 Brookstown Avenue as soon as renovations can be completed there. A part of Obayashi USA LLC since 2006, John S. Clark Company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and is committed to sustainable design and construction.

John S. Clark would be proud to witness the success story that his namesake company has become, Vaughn believes. He’d be equally proud that it has upheld those values that reflect the essence of Scouting: Doing the best job possible and gaining trust and loyalty in service to others.

Johnston is an author and president of What’s Working Inc., a Boulder, Colo.-based sustainable building consultancy. (See more about Johnston below).

The seminar will cover improving indoor air quality, resource conservation and efficient building techniques.

The $45 price covers the seminar, refreshments and a full buffet lunch. Space is limited and will be filled on a first come-first served basis. You can make reservations by contacting Greg Smith of Surry Community College in Dobson at smithg@surry.edu or by calling (336) 386-3398. Seminar participants will be eligible for continuing education credits from Surry Community College.

This seminar is sponsored by “Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska,” NCFI Polyurethanes, Ace Hardware/Riverside Building Supply, United Plastics, Brite Engineering and Surry Community College.

About David Johnston:

David Johnston established the first private-sector sustainable building program in Denver through the local Home Builders’ Association, which evolved into the largest program of its kind in the private sector. His company was part of the team that launched the LEED certification program for the U.S. Green Building Council.

Johnston designed the Denver Metro Home Builders Association’s Built Green Program and the Boulder Green Points Program, which encourages the use of cost-effective and sustainable building practices. Johnston is also the founding designer and consultant to the Alameda County Waste Management Authority’s program that stimulated market transformation programs throughout California and is at work to implement similar programs nationwide.

Johnston has represented the United States at International Energy Efficiency meetings to develop international research agreements in the area of sustainable construction. Johnston was named “Builder of the Year” by the Washington, D.C. chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and has been inducted into the Remodeling Magazine Hall of Fame.

He received the 2007 International Sustainability Pioneer Award presented at the International Sustainable Leadership Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. He is contributing editor of “Natural Home” magazine and author of “Green Remodeling, Changing the World One Room at a Time” and “Building Green in a Black and White World.” (The books will be available for purchase at the event.)

The job is to be finished by year’s end. Gary Huffman is the project manager.

The 13,920-square foot-addition will include five classrooms, a computer lab, a library and two special education classrooms.

Amber Contracting has offices in Mount Airy and Salem, Va. The company specializes in commercial design-build construction work. Partners in the company are Josh Cox, Bob Demcio and Gary Huffman. They and project manager Chuck Johnson together have more than 100 years of construction experience.

Vice President Bill Sinclair will head the new division located at 11 Brookstown Ave. in downtown Winston-Salem. Sinclair joined the company in 2005. He has 15 years’ experience in commercial construction in the local market area, including six years running his own company.

The Building Improvement Division will focus on tenant upfits, renovations and additions in the commercial, industrial, retail, medical and institutional markets across the Triad. Its staff includes project managers, superintendents and administrative support personnel.

Jim Walker, president of John S. Clark Company, said, “We have seen our strategy to seek more renovation and upfit work exceed our expectations and, with the other growth in our company, we found ourselves with a challenge: providing adequate space for future growth and enhancing the identity of the group. Bill Sinclair now has a fully functioning staff that will be a full division in John S. Clark Company LLC and, since the work done is always an improvement on a new or existing facility, we want to designate it as the Building Improvement Division. This identity and our location in downtown Winston-Salem will continue the momentum currently under way.”

This type of work at John S. Clark Company has grown from nothing to more than $7 million in less than two years, including dozens of projects such as Dioli’s Italian Market, Marley Drug and additions to Dell Manufacturing. The division is especially proud of the repeat client work such as Breugger’s Bagels, BB&T and Truliant.

Current Building Improvement Division projects include Café Prada at 4th and Broad streets in downtown Winston Salem, relocating Loomcraft Textiles to Westpoint Stevens in Burlington and a 10,500-square-foot addition to Burton Signs in Mount Airy.

John S. Clark Company is the largest Triad-based general contractor. The company has fully integrated design/build capabilities. The firm operates full-service offices in Surry County, Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Wilmington. In addition to the Building Improvement Division, the company has core competencies in industrial, retail, multi-family, health sciences and commercial construction.