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CLASS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE QUESTIONS FOR JOHN TEEPLES

prepared by:  J Douglas Martin

Date:                      Tuesday, November 07, 2000

Re:                         Class discussion about future guest lecture topics and areas of focus for John Teeples’ visit (Teeples will join the class in the next couple of weeks).

Meeting Date:        Tuesday, November 07, 2000

1.       General

1.1               The meeting was held to give the teacher a feel for various topics of interest for future class speakers.  The professor’s method of generating such discussion was to ask three main questions.  The last several minutes of the meeting involved the compilation of a list of questions to ask a future guest, John Teeples. 

2.       Class Discussion

2.1               Question # 1:    

            What are your strengths as a result of you graduate work in Building Science?

2.1.1          Communication Skills (written and verbal) 

2.1.2          A very general overview-type knowledge of the construction industry

2.1.2.1    Mainly management issues

2.1.3          An increased comfort level with computer technology necessary for construction

2.1.3.1    Mainly Microsoft products (also Primavera and some web applications)

2.1.4          Research and analytical skills

2.2               Question #2:

Where do you feel the Building Science graduate program is lacking?

2.2.1          Too broad

2.2.1.1    Unable to get down to specifics (except within context of Capstone project)

2.2.2          Too much attention to the following:

2.2.2.1    Blueprint and Specification Reading

2.2.2.2    Labor and Productivity

2.2.2.3    Materials and Methods

2.2.2.4    Structures

2.2.3          Possible solutions:

2.2.3.1    Proficiency tests prior to taking certain undergraduate or prerequisite course work

2.2.3.2    Online tutorials that students can use at their own pace

2.2.3.3    Gear graduate coursework more toward management

2.2.3.4    Use graduate seminar as forum to teach crash-courses on areas perceived to receive too much attention instead of requiring students to take a full semester of each.

2.3               Question #3:

Suppose you are an executive in a construction company in three or four years.  What then will you wish you had learned during your graduate work here at Auburn?

2.3.1          Financial issues facing contractors

2.3.1.1    Cash flow concerns

2.3.1.2    Dealing with banks

2.3.1.2.1           Borrowing money

2.3.1.2.2           Credit lines

2.3.1.2.3           How to stay out of trouble

2.3.1.3    What makes contractors go bankrupt

2.3.1.4    Generally what not to do

2.3.2          Laws

2.3.2.1    Tax forms

2.3.2.2    Minority issues

2.3.2.3    Codes

2.3.3          Business Startup

2.3.3.1    Personal risks

2.3.3.2    Business development

2.3.3.3    Profit sharing (risk sharing)

2.3.4          Residential markets

2.3.5          Project management

2.3.5.1    Contracts

2.3.5.2    Buyout

2.3.5.3    Paper trails and forms

2.3.5.4    Pay requests

2.3.5.5    Various logs

2.3.5.6    Submittals and transmittals

2.3.5.7    Relationship issues

2.3.5.7.1           Owner, architect/ engineer, subcontractors, superintendents, etc.

2.3.6          Owners’ representatives and the nature of their profession

2.4               Professor Williams then began to introduce our future guest, John Teeples:

2.4.1          Worked in major capacity on Auburn University Library project at an early age

2.4.2          Worked with Bill Harbert International

2.4.3          Opened a small construction company in Columbus, Georgia with a partner

2.4.4          Bought out partner

2.5               Next the class discussion shifted to the creation of ten questions of major interest that will be directed toward John Teeples during his visit:

2.5.1          What are the main issues to consider when starting your own construction company?

2.5.2          How did your time working with Harbert help you as you went into business for yourself?  What could you have done differently that would have helped even more?

2.5.3          How important is your relationship with you banker?

2.5.4          How do you know everything you need to know to set up a project in a different city?  A different state?

2.5.5          How do you estimate?  Why do you focus more on bid work rather than negotiated work?

2.5.6          Please describe a typical day for you at work?

2.5.7          Please discuss you approach to the management of technology.

2.5.8          Please discuss project management in regard to:

2.5.8.1    Contracts

2.5.8.2    Buyout

2.5.8.3    Paper trails and forms

2.5.8.4    Pay requests

2.5.8.5    Various logs

2.5.8.6    Submittals and transmittals

2.5.8.7    Relationship issues

2.5.9          What are common deficiencies you notice with new employees you hire?  Do you hire recent graduates?

2.5.10      Please discuss your personal risks regarding financial issues.  How do you measure the success of your business? 

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