Local entrepreneurs create HotSchedules to accommodate work shifts; acquired last year, now the company is global
By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News
After working in the restaurant industry for many years, local residents David Cantu and Ray Pawlikowski saw a need for a technology platform that would help with one of the most tedious jobs of the restaurant industry — shift scheduling. That idea has led to the development of a thriving international company with nearly 500 employees.
David Cantu
As a manager at P.F. Chang’s in Austin in the late 90s, Cantu said he spent four hours a week creating a schedule for 65 employees. It was during that time that he met Pawlikowski, who he hired as a bartender at the restaurant. Cantu remembers Pawlikowski continually calling to find out his work schedule for the week. At that time, employees had to drive to the restaurant each week and write down their schedules.
Pawlikowski saw an opportunity to make the process more efficient by creating a website specifically to post staff schedules. Each week, Cantu would email him the new schedules.
“I’d email him, he’d post it on his website and when staff called we’d give them the web address,” Cantu said.
Even that process soon became overwhelming, though, as there were times when Pawlikowski got backed up and couldn’t post the schedule on time, meaning he was the one receiving all the phone calls. He then had a different idea.
Ray Pawlikowski
“He came to me and asked if I was interested in starting a business with him focusing on the scheduling,” Cantu said. “I said no way, but I’d be happy to help.”
The idea lingered though and Cantu said he began to think of other restaurant processes that could be made more efficient. Though he didn’t have a tech background, Cantu decided he was in. So in 1999, the two wrote their first business plan.
“It was focused on delivering technology to the restaurant industry because at that time there was a void,” Cantu said. “There were a lot of point-of-sale companies that provided software but it was clunky software that wasn’t really built for restaurateurs.”
They named their product HotSchedules and launched it in 2000 at P.F. Chang’s. Within three to four months, 15 restaurants were using it. Austin-based Iron Cactus was one of their first customers. The continued to grow with the help of investors and within four or five years, 50 restaurants were using the HotSchedules software. Continue reading
$508M Water Treatment Plant 4 nears completion
By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News
Construction on Water Treatment Plant 4 in Four Points is more than 85 percent complete and on schedule to be finished by this summer, according to Bill Stauber, supervising engineer with Austin Water.
“We’re transitioning into the startup of equipment and startup of systems and making sure everything’s working,” Stauber said. “We’re moving into the testing and startup phase.”
Photo taken in March by Austin Water.
Once construction is complete around July, engineers will begin testing all the plant’s equipment and systems, which means it may be sometime before the plant is fully operational.
“The plant has a lot of moving parts,” said Jason Hill, senior public information officer with Austin Water. “It’s not like you just turn the lights on. It can take a little bit of time after that to be fully operational.”
HCEF presents $21,800 to VHS, Giddy Up’s proceeds impacting schools
The Hill Country Education Foundation raised $21,800 during the Fund-A-Need portion of the 4th Annual Giddy Up Gala in February. The entire gala raised a total of $113,875.
“This was by far HCEF’s most successful Fund-A-Need,” said Kai Lamb, HCEF president. “The reason is that donors understand the multiplier effect these funds have on the school, benefiting all current and future Vandegrift students.”
HCEF presented the $21,800 check to Vandegrift High School’s principal Charlie Little to be used for three programs: Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test or PSAT, academic University Interscholastic League competitions, and teacher professional development.
The Hill Country Education Foundation’s Gala event chair Myra Roberts (far left) and board member Mary Scherer presented a $21,800 check to Vandegrift High School principal Charlie Little.
Escape at Four Points now open, project to be complete by fall
By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News
After beginning construction more than a year ago, the newest apartment community in Four Points, Escape at Four Points, is now open and leasing units.
San Antonio- based Embrey Partners Ltd., a national builder of apartments, is building the 344-unit apartment complex on the 17-acre site. The site has two exits onto RM 2222 and one onto Four Points Drive. 
Located next to Target at 11210 RM 2222, Escape at Four Points offers residents a short distance to nearby stores, shops and eateries.
“We offer the walkability to a lot of different businesses at really competitive rents for the Hill Country,” said Allison Duggan, community manager.
Escape at Four Points Community Manager Allison Duggan shows an apartment. San Antonio-based Embrey Partners, Ltd. is building the 344-unit complex near Target.
Photo by Cassie McKee