Today's guest returns to the podcast to talk about the popularity and growing demand in the multi-family housing and student housing industries for sustainable design. CEO and founder of ROCKiT Architects, Brian DiPietro shares his career experience and some favorite projects that emulate his expertise in sustainable design. Over the past decade, sustainable design has gained in popularity because the premise behind the concept is that the design "seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environm...
Jul 25, 2022•25 min0
Now more than ever companies realize the importance of providing a healthy workspace environment for their employees. This concept has been heightened post-COVID and will continue to be a priority for owners and their employees. With the growing interest in this topic, we decided to talk with an expert on healthy workspaces and learn how people and their environment interface and how the health of the workplace and employees can help systems and processes positively affect the bottom line. Our g...
Jul 18, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 9
COVID, workforce development, supply chain issues, this list goes on and on for the daily challenges faced by small businesses. It's probably safe to say that it has been a rough two years for business in general. So what does the future hold? Recognizing that 48% of people work for small businesses, we decided to check in with Pennsylvania State Director, Greg Moreland of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) to talk about the challenges small businesses are currently facing an...
Jul 12, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 19
In business, leadership is one of the most talked about topics among business professionals, owners, and executives. In this episode, we decided to take the discussion beyond the boardroom and into the world of nonprofits and associations. Our guest Elisa Brewer Pratt is the CEO of Brewer Pratt Solutions. Pratt is a chief strategist who specializes in organizational effectiveness. She consults with nonprofit organizations in the construction and trades association space and advises on growth and...
Jul 05, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 18
"Construction workers are statistically at higher risk for mental health issues than virtually any other profession." This is according to the Center for Disease Control. This statistic was true prior to COVID and even more so now. Growing mental health concerns exist in the construction industry because it ranks second highest in suicide rates among major industries. This topic ranks high in importance on the Building PA podcast. We are dedicated to addressing and continuing the conversation ab...
Jun 27, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 20
Sometimes you record a podcast that leaves you feeling uplifted, inspired, and motivated. It's filled with practical advice that can be applied to your professional career and your personal life. That's what you will hear in this episode of the Building PA podcast. Our special guest, Ret. Major General John Gronski is a world-renowned author and motivational speaker. Gronski speaks about leadership and what it takes to become a good leader. His advice to others is "have the courage to make a dec...
Jun 20, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 16
In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with the Director of Safety, Bob McCall of the Master Builders' Association. McCall is a seasoned professional in safety-related matters and candidly spoke about COVID, mental health, and the need for more programs that help construction workers. McCall shared that COVID placed a greater reliance on safety and the need for companies to plan their work. The pandemic brought personal lives into the workplace. Workers and their families who were affe...
Jun 13, 2022•29 min
No one likes a field trip more than our co-hosts, Chris and Jon. In this episode, the guys share their unique on-site visit to the Barry Isett and Associates Mechanicsburg field testing facility. They were joined by Isett team members Nick Bauer, project manager, and Erin Burke, marketing director who showed them about construction materials testing, the importance of testing, why it's necessary for projects, and what they do daily to help to make the job site and projects safer overall. Bauer, ...
Jun 06, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 13
We wanted to know more about what a B Corp is and what is fueling the desire to become B Corp certified. Our guest on this episode is passionate about their B Corp certification and took the time to share with us a broad overview of what it takes to achieve this status. Beth Peiffer, owner and president of Ralph E. Jones, a painting, wallcovering, and special coatings contractor in Harrisburg, shares her company's experience around becoming B Corp certified. Peiffer believes being a B Corp is th...
May 30, 2022•24 min
WELL Building. What is it? How does it differ from Lead building and is this the wave of the construction future? These questions and many more are answered by "Charles" Chip Desmone, CEO of Desmone Architects . Desmone and his team of architects designed the first WELL Gold Certified Building in Pittsburgh, PA. They are one of just six WELL certified spaces in Pennsylvania. Listen and learn how WELL intersects design with human health. Desmone shares his journey through WELL certification and t...
May 23, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 11
The topic of captive insurance has gained in popularity. We want to know, why? So we invited Tim Ziegler, vice president, principal, and head of the construction division at McConkey Insurance to join us on the podcast to talk about captive programs and answer some questions, we’re hearing in the industry. Ziegler brings clarity to what captive programs are and shares the three biggest advantages of being part of a captive group, why it is gaining in popularity, and who benefits the most. McConk...
May 16, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In today's podcast, co-hosts, Jon and Chris are joined by a special guest, senior project manager for Quandel Construction Group, Sarah Knehr—KCA’s 2021 Top Young Leader Award winner. Knehr was chosen as the winner because of her outstanding performance on the job and in the community. You'll hear Knehr's insight on the importance of embracing young students, both high school and college-aged, and exposing them to the construction profession. She shares the value of job shadowing and learning ab...
May 09, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Michael Metz-Topodas, partner with Cohen Seglias Greenhall & Furman PC returns to the Building PA Podcast to talk about contract management. In this episode, Topodas shares insight about contract management and how it relates to change management. Topodas sees the contract as an equation; the contractor will do work and in exchange, they will receive money or payment. This is balance. The imbalance occurs when something happens on a job that requires extra work and additional money is owed t...
May 02, 2022•23 min
Marc Mondor, principal, architect, and co-founder of evolveEA is our latest guest to talk about sustainable design. Mondor shares how their company approaches a project to ensure the structure has a "lesser, lighter environmental impact." Mondor commented that the word "sustainability" is used a lot more in recent years and is sometimes overused. He puts this thought into context when he talks about what they refer to as the triple bottom line of sustainability or the three "e's" of the built en...
Apr 26, 2022•32 min
No one knows communication and organization better than Bob Dresser of Strategic Executive Consulting. In this fourth episode in the Better Project Outcomes Series, Bob addresses a key component in the success of construction companies, projects, and profitability—change management. In this episode, Bob highlights the key components needed to set the stage for a successful project. Communications, file structure, and sharing of information can solidify client relationships and continued work for...
Apr 19, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In today’s podcast, Maria Elliott, attorney/partner for Barley Snyder talks about contracts and risk management. Maria shares her insight about the changes being made in contracts since COVID. Maria commented that before COVID, owners and general contractors were focused on force majeure, which is the unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract. Since COVID, the shift has been on price escalation. With supply chain issues, owners and general contractors are faced ...
Apr 12, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Jim Gabriel, president of MODLOGIQ shed light on why prefabrication is trending across the construction industry. Owners, general contractors, designers, and architects are turning to modular construction for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that the world is changing. Gabriel speaks openly about the pandemic and how modular construction has helped contractors and projects continue to move ahead even when job sites are shut down. This is due in part, to 80% of modular construction ...
Jan 31, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Listen as President Rivera shares insight into industry trends related to workforce development beyond traditional construction-related skills such as career counseling, heavy equipment training, and professional career paths that will have significant impact. It's vital to the success of any workforce development programs they rely on training to address the entire student to ensure that future workforces are prepared to positively address future needs. Rivera shares several stories of his expe...
Jan 17, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 1
2021 proved to be an unconventional year – we battled a pandemic, did our best to manage an erratic supply chain, and watched many businesses grow at an exponential rate. With 2021 behind us, Chris and Jon wanted to take a moment and reflect on several highlights from some inspiring guests they interviewed throughout the year. During this episode, Chris and Jon discuss their favorite podcasts and topics that continue to impact the industry. The two co-hosts discussed: · The Business Leadership S...
Jan 10, 2022•21 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Are you a professional in the field of architecture, construction or engineering and feel like you have experience and knowledge to share? Do you have a desire to provide insight into your profession and help mentor students? The ACE Mentor program may be the right fit for you. Diana Eidenshink, national president of ACE Mentor program talks with Chris and Jon about all aspects of the ACE program and how industry professionals can become volunteer mentors for future generations. There are benefi...
Dec 13, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 55
Listen as Jamey Bednez, vice president of Stalwart Insurance Group talks with us as we discuss the impact of wellness on insurance premiums. Bednez shares that wellness initiatives help employers identify inefficiencies. For example, he states that 61 percent of employees surveyed say that their workplace causes stress, which leads to over $300 billion in healthcare costs. To improve your costs, Bednez encourages you to ask: • What is the driving factor for a premium increase? • Are the benchmar...
Dec 06, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 54
The HR and Safety Director of Kalkreuth Roofing and Sheet Metal, Seth Abraham, stopped by the Building PA Podcast to discuss labor relations and safety. Listen in as Seth discusses his thoughts on workforce development and the value relationships bring to creating a safety culture across five offices and seven states. Seth shared that at Kalkreuth, the company sees HR and safety as a combination that ties labor together. His challenge is to encourage his team to focus on zero tolerance and incid...
Nov 29, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Michael Klein joins us from the law offices of Blumling & Gusky, LLP to share his expertise on building materials and the impact they have on contracts. With the pandemic slowing down (or picking up, depending on where you live) the supply chain has impacted the construction industry around the globe. Today, we talk about this growing trend and how contractors can protect themselves legally. Klein shared with Jon and Chris several tips for contractors, including understanding the current ris...
Nov 22, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 52
David McGlennen, culture coach and leadership expert, stopped by the Building PA Podcast to share his wisdom related to culture and its impact on the industry. David understands the construction industry, so much so that in the first segment of the show, he suggests utilizing toolbox talk time to discuss and expand on the rituals that make up your culture. He was quick to caution that creating a strong culture takes leadership. According to David, “the behavior of the leader establishes the ritu...
Nov 15, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 51
When discussing the impact of virtual meetings on sales efforts, Sandler Sales Training expert Steve Kelly told the Building PA Podcast co-hosts a simple truth, “the things that were done previously changed very quickly and most people didn’t adapt.” Listen as Steve Kelly shares best practices for improving your sales efforts in a virtual world. Steve discusses methods for changing your technique and volume related to outreach, which has been forced to adapt to virtual meetings. A key takeaway f...
Nov 08, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 50
Jessica Meyers, owner and president of JEM Group, based in Harrisburg, joins co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O’Brien on the latest episode to discuss her leadership style, the future of JEM Group, and how the company is focusing on professional development among her team. During the episode, Meyers tells how she came to work in the construction industry and some of the obstacles she overcame to become an industry leader. Meyers says, “I don’t try to be a perfect leader. I think it is important to ...
Nov 01, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 49
Have you ever asked yourself what it takes to work with legislators? Have no fear, John Wanner is here to share his dos and don’ts for government relations. Wanner, the founder of Wanner Associates and a registered lobbyist stops by to speak with Chris and Jon. During the conversation we learned the dos of lobbying: • Be professional • Create leave-behinds or briefs • Make an appointment • Prepare Wanner also discussed the challenges facing this important segment of the industry. Those challenge...
Oct 25, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 48
Tori Shriver, political director for the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters (EAS Carpenters) joins Chris and Jon to discuss a day in the life of a union political director. Shriver discusses her role in promoting and educating legislators and the public on policies that affect the EAS Carpenter membership, her team of ‘political nerds’, and the challenges she faces as the youngest female in a leadership role. During the discussion Shriver acknowledges two mentors who have gui...
Oct 18, 2021•27 min•Season 2Ep. 47
As the former international president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a current adjunct professor of architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, William Bates joined the Building PA Podcast to discuss the future of architecture. Before we discuss the future, Bates shared insight into his tenure with the AIA and discussed best practices from his time traveling the world to promote the architecture industry. As an industry leader, Bates has seen his fair share of change and chall...
Oct 11, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Join the Building PA Podcast to listen to Kevin Trout share his insights into the benefits a strong culture will have on your company. Kevin joins us as a former owner and CEO of a medical supply company and current Vistage chair and facilitator for CEO groups. In the discussion, Trout emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong culture as part of the hiring, onboarding, and operations process. Trout said the process of creating a strong culture begins when companies “think of their compa...
Oct 04, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 45
