In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin dive into an often-overlooked aspect of the construction industry: physical health. Joined by nurse practitioner and founder of Construction Care Solutions , Linde Collingwood, the conversation explores the unique health challenges faced by blue-collar workers, particularly in the construction sector. Linde shares her extensive experience working on-site with pipeline construction crews, where she provided on-the-j...
Jul 08, 2025•24 min
In this exciting episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Brent Darnell, a renowned keynote speaker in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. As we celebrate the unique appearance of a Lego R2-D2 in the background, we dive into a thought-provoking discussion about the importance of emotional intelligence and people skills in the construction sector. Brent shares his extensive experience of over 25 years, emphasizing the shift in t...
May 07, 2025•35 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien delve into a significant topic affecting the construction industry in Pennsylvania: the Separations Act. With a history spanning over a century, the Separations Act mandates that public construction projects at the state and local levels must hire at least four separate prime contractors—specifically for general trades, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing. Jon, who has extensive knowledge of the Act, explains its origin...
Apr 29, 2025•30 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien welcome Pennsylvania State House Majority Leader Matt Bradford for an engaging discussion on leadership within the context of a divided government. Matt shares his background, growing up in Chester County and his journey through law school at Villanova, where he also met his wife. He reflects on his political career, having been elected to the legislature in 2008 and serving in various capacities, including as the ...
Apr 22, 2025•26 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Michelle Tarquino from the Office of Transformation and Opportunity (OTO) to discuss the initiatives aimed at making Pennsylvania a more business-friendly state. Michelle, who serves as the transportation coordinator, shares insights into the challenges businesses face, particularly regarding the permitting process. The conversation highlights the creation of the OTO under Governor Shapiro's administration,...
Apr 15, 2025•27 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Tom Scott, the Director of Safety at McClure Company, to discuss the critical topic of safety culture within the construction industry. The episode marks the fifth season of the podcast, which has a strong focus on safety, and highlights the importance of fostering a safety-first environment on job sites. Jon kicks off the conversation by acknowledging the significant changes the construction industry faced...
Apr 08, 2025•22 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin delve into the Keystone Contractors Association (KCA) scholarship program, now in its fourth year. Jon, representing the KCA, discusses the unique structure of the scholarship, which offers recurring financial support for up to four years to Pennsylvania residents pursuing construction-related degrees at Pennsylvania colleges. This year, the KCA is committed to awarding $40,000 in scholarships, emphasizing the impo...
Apr 01, 2025•16 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin discuss the upcoming BD Boot Camp, an exciting initiative by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Scheduled for April 8, 2025 , during the AGC convention in Columbus, Ohio, the boot camp aims to enhance business development skills within the construction industry. Chris, who will be the chair of the AGC's business development committee, shares insights about the event, highlighting various topics an...
Mar 25, 2025•16 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-host Jon O'Brien takes the reins as he interviews his fellow co-host, Chris Martin, who is the president and owner of Atlas Marketing. The episode dives deep into the critical topic of crisis management, a subject that has been requested by listeners and industry members alike. Chris shares his experiences from recent discussions with industry professionals, revealing that many organizations are reacting to crises rather than proactively preparing f...
Mar 18, 2025•28 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien welcome two prominent figures in Pennsylvania's construction policy: Senator Devlin Robinson and Senator John Kane. Both senators bring unique backgrounds to the table—Robinson as a U.S. Marine veteran and Kane as a former business manager for Plumbers Local 690. The discussion kicks off with a light-hearted banter about the weather in Pittsburgh before diving into the serious topics of construction policy and the ...
Mar 04, 2025•36 min
In this episode of our podcast, we dive deep into the impactful initiative known as the "Hike for Hope," a movement aimed at raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention, particularly within the construction industry. I had the pleasure of speaking with Rob Labbe, a highly respected construction professional based in New York, who has been instrumental in launching this initiative. We kick off the episode by introducing Rob and his extensive background in heavy civil work, where ...
Feb 04, 2025•38 min
In this exciting episode of the Building PA podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Kathy Freeman, the Senior Director of Operations at Amphibious Medics. Kathy brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in safety management, and we dive deep into the critical topic of managing injuries in the construction industry. From the outset, Jon and Chris express their enthusiasm for the conversation, highlighting the importance of safety in ensuring that workers return home safely to the...
Jan 28, 2025•20 min
In this exciting episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien celebrate the culmination of their fourth season by announcing the winners of the inaugural 2024 Podcast Awards. With a focus on recognizing outstanding contributions within the construction industry, the hosts reflect on the journey of the podcast since its inception in the spring of 2020. The hosts dive into the details of the awards, which were determined by listener votes across three categories: Most ...
Jan 21, 2025•18 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Ryan Parrish, a liaison with Pennsylvania 811, to discuss the critical topic of excavation safety. As we dive into the conversation, Ryan shares his role as a middleman between underground utility companies, designers, engineers, and the One Call center, emphasizing the importance of education and awareness in preventing accidents during excavation projects. Ryan highlights the significance of calling befor...
Dec 17, 2024•24 min
Welcome to a special year-end episode of the Building PA Podcast! As we wrap up another incredible year in the construction industry, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin take a moment to reflect on the highlights from 2024. With over 200 episodes and 25,000 downloads under our belt, we are thrilled to share some of our favorite moments, guests, and topics from the past year. In this episode, we dive into three main categories and we invite our listeners to participate by voting for their favor...
Dec 11, 2024•34 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Robert Hargrove, an acclaimed author known as the "CEO Whisperer," to discuss the essential steps for building a high-performance team in the construction industry. We kick off the conversation by emphasizing the importance of character in team building. Robert shares his insights on how many organizations often overlook character skills in favor of credentials, leading to teams filled with mediocre talent....
Dec 03, 2024•24 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts John O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Gabriel Luber, co-owner of Lancaster Gift Box Company, to discuss the unique intersection of corporate gifting and relationship building within the construction industry. Gabriel shares the origin story of Lancaster Gift Box, which began as a fresh grocery delivery service during the pandemic but pivoted to focus on highly customized corporate gifting and appreciation programs. He emphasizes the importance...
Nov 28, 2024•31 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome back Andy Gaslevich and Ben Miller from Cleveland Brothers for part two of their engaging discussion on the rapidly evolving technology in the construction equipment industry. Following up on the previous episode, we explore the advancements in construction technology, particularly focusing on how these innovations can enhance productivity, safety, and efficiency on job sites. Ben leads the conversation by ...
Nov 25, 2024•32 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, we welcome Andy Gaslevich and Ben Miller from Cleveland Brothers, a leading Caterpillar construction equipment dealership. The discussion centers around the integration of technology in the construction industry, particularly how it relates to equipment utilization, safety, productivity, and addressing the skilled labor shortage. We kick off the episode with an introduction to Cleveland Brothers, celebrating their 75 years in the business and their ext...
Nov 13, 2024•31 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome back Odie Parkins, the owner of Four Tree Solutions, for an engaging discussion about his journey and the evolution of his work in the construction industry. Odie, who previously worked with the Carpenters Contractors Trust (CCT), shares insights from his transition to consulting and his focus on leadership and professional development within heavy industry. As we dive into the conversation, Odie reflects o...
Nov 06, 2024•24 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome back Cal Beyer, a passionate advocate for addiction awareness and recovery in the construction industry. Cal, who recently joined SAFE Project as the Senior Director for Safe Workplaces, shares his journey and insights into the critical intersection of addiction, mental health, and workplace safety. The episode kicks off with a warm introduction, highlighting Cal's previous appearance on the podcast and his...
Oct 30, 2024•35 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin visit the Bethel Village project in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where they engage with the team from the JEM Group, the general contractor for this significant affordable housing development. The project, which is being constructed on the site of the former Bethel AME Church, represents a $20 million investment aimed at providing quality housing for individuals and families earning between 60-80% of the Area...
Oct 23, 2024•23 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin dive into the exciting world of electric vehicles and their impact on the construction industry. We are thrilled to welcome back Eido Almog, the Director of Strategy and Business Development for S&B USA, a global infrastructure and construction company. Eido shares insights from S&B USA's recent pilot program focused on electrifying their fleet, which includes both on-road vehicles and off-road construction...
Oct 15, 2024•24 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien welcome Jessica McKinney from P.J. Dick Trumbull Lindy to discuss the intricacies of proposal management in the construction industry. With over 25 years of experience, Jessica shares her insights on the importance of tailoring proposals to meet client needs, emphasizing that successful proposals are not just boilerplate documents but rather personalized narratives that reflect the client's unique requirements. Jes...
Oct 09, 2024•25 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Matt Curry and Chad Stokes from Cleveland Brothers Equipment Company. The discussion centers around workforce development and the innovative approaches Cleveland Brothers takes to recruit and train the next generation of technicians. Matt, the Technical Training and Development Manager, and Chad, the Corporate Technical Recruiter, share insights into their recruitment strategies, focusing on high school car...
Sep 24, 2024•33 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin welcome Salomon Moreno-Rosa, the Managing Director of Strategy and Philanthropy at Envoy. The discussion centers around the concept of "Recovery Ready Workplaces" and the importance of fair chance employment, particularly in the construction industry. Salomon explains that fair chance employment initiatives aim to create inclusive hiring practices that support individuals from the reentry community and those naviga...
Sep 17, 2024•28 min
In this episode of the Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Jon O'Brien and Chris Martin tackle a critical and often overlooked issue in the construction industry: suicide prevention. They are joined by Sonya Bohmann, the Executive Director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), who brings her expertise and personal experience to the conversation. Sonya discusses the significant stigma surrounding mental health in the construction sector, which often prevents workers from...
Sep 10, 2024•24 min
In the latest episode of Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien interview Alexander Papson from Schneider Downs about the Secure Act 2.0. Papson, an investment advisor specializing in retirement plans, discusses how the legislation aims to improve private retirement plans and outlines key provisions, including tax credits for employers and automatic enrollment options. They delve into challenges employers face, such as complying with new rules for long-term part-time employee...
Sep 03, 2024•24 min
Today’s podcast discusses the experiences and insights of Dona File, a seasoned construction safety expert, who reflects on her career journey and the evolution of safety practices in the construction industry. She highlights the critical role of communication and collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic, where safety protocols were rapidly developed and implemented to keep construction sites operational. The pandemic, despite its challenges, led to a significant improvement in hygiene standar...
Aug 27, 2024•38 min
In this podcast episode, Lorelee Isbell, Associate Vice President for Career and Workforce Development at Shippensburg University, and Laura Potthoff, Director of Business Development from F&M Trust Bank, discuss a collaborative workforce development initiative aimed at addressing the labor shortage in the construction industry in South Central Pennsylvania. They highlight the creation of a short-term, non-credit construction program designed for unemployed and underemployed individuals, whi...
Aug 21, 2024•27 min
