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Based in Irwin, Pennsylvania, Brex Enterprises is a WBE certified pipeline maintenance and services company founded in 2012 by Alicia Brentzel and her husband AJ. Alicia joins host Missy Scherber to talk about business growing pains and how leaning into your core values and unique strengths can help accelerate growth and build stronger teams.  They also discuss: Going from AJ working solo and living in a camper to managing 40 employees Putting processes in place to improve your efficiency and profitability The importance of modeling your culture every day Making critical conversations with employees a priority Navigating your roles as both business partners and spouses Helping your employees achieve their full-potential and providing growth opportunities Getting over imposter syndrome and being honest with where you are right now

While Priestly Demolition is in the business of tearing things down, the crew’s first job onsite is hunting for treasure. Salvage and sustainability has always been a cornerstone of the business for Vic Priestly, the company’s founder.  Today, the King City, Ontario-based company has grown into one of the largest demolition contractors in Canada, under the leadership of Vic’s son Ryan Priestly. The company has a staff of about 300 people and a fleet that includes around 100 excavators.  Notably, the company is the focus of the History Channel Canada’s original-series Salvage Kings, and they’re bring the spectator sport of demolition to the masses on national television.    Ryan joins host Missy Scherber to discuss: Advancing the science of safe demolition Showcasing careers in construction to the next generation Creating a culture of safety and incentivizing it  Learning from the generation that came before you Using technology for fleet management and operational efficiencies Leading with happiness and confidence

Mary Katherine Harbin caught the attention of the industry when she established the nation’s first all-female paving crew. The area manager and equal employment opportunity officer for Tennessee-based, Maymead Inc., has worked her way up the ranks and built a successful career in construction. As a nationally-recognized speaker on workforce development, Harbin joins host Missy Scherber to share expertise on mentoring employees, mitigating bias and discrimination and taking a progressive approach to hiring. They also discuss: Building your confidence as a leader Creating unity among the office and the field Breaking down barriers between your crew members Advice for women in construction

Growing up, Matt Stanley and his three brothers were "raised on blacktop", working alongside their parents from the time they could hold a shovel at their Danbury, Connecticut-based paving business, American Pavement Specialists. Since then, the small company has grown into a big name in the paving world, starting their own clothing brand and sponsoring NASCAR driver Spencer Boyd.  Matt runs everything from field operations to marketing, and he shares how building strong relationships with your family, crew and OEMs helps maximize your quality of work and success.  Matt joins host Missy Scherber to discuss: - Making working with your family cool again - Training employees from the ground up  - Instilling pride and values in your crew - Improving relationships with OEMs and dealers through top-notch marketing - Tips for honing your brand identity on social media

You may know him on Instagram as “Technology Sandbox” --- and Britton Lawson’s day-to-day job is just that ---- working with current and emerging construction technologies from grade control to telematics to bring efficiency to the jobsite. As director of construction technology at Veit & Company, Britton is the internal technology champion. He helps the organization get the best technology return on investment and evolve their processes for the future. Britton joins host Missy Scherber to discuss the current and future state of construction tech. They also cover: Moving from 2D to 3D grade control Advice for implementing new technology Troubleshooting technology problems Communicating about technology with your field team Highlights from CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020

Under Stacey Tompkins’ leadership, Tompkins Excavating out of Putnam County, New York has grown from a lawn mowing service provider to a woman-owned and family-operated, full-service commercial and residential excavation and landscape construction company. When she’s not dealing with dirt, she’s an active volunteer and mentor in her community and has been honored with numerous business and leadership awards.  Stacey and host Missy Scherber discuss: - Investing in machine control technology - Developing a strong corporate culture - Increasing revenue 8x in six years - Balancing family and business   Stacey will be participating in an influencer panel discussion and meetup taking place on Wednesday, March 11, as well as an executive leadership panel taking place on Friday, March 13 at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020.

While Chris Lane’s company employs more than 430 West Virginians and Pennsylvanians, he says their goal isn’t to be the biggest, just the most complete pipeline contractor in the region. The 27-year-old of vice president, Ronald Lane Inc. say creating a turnkey experience for clients has been the secret to their success. The company has 13 locations, over 500 pieces of equipment and handles every aspect of pipelaying including clearing land, processing trees, directional drilling, painting, welding, backfilling and hydrotesting. Chris and Guest Host Dusty Weis also discuss: The pros and cons of a family business The importance of having dedicated safety staff Installing environmental controls Digitizing asset management Taking pride in your people Road tripping to CONEXPO-CON/AGG

He goes by “Chief Dirt Nerd” and he’s taking the construction world by storm with his unique ability to tell stories about the hard-working men and women mining for our materials and building our communities. While Aaron Witt hasn’t taken a traditional path into the industry, it’s one he loves, and one he thinks others should love too. His goal as President of BuildWitt Media Group is to inspire others to think about construction and mining as a way of life through his photography, videos and lighthearted approach. Aaron and Host Missy Scherber discuss using social media to educate and inspire your current and future workforce. They also cover: Taking responsibility for the changes happening in the industry The biggest mistakes construction companies make when it comes to marketing The importance of being authentic and vulnerable Considering the safety implications of your employee’s mental wellbeing Aaron’s first trip to CONEXPO-CON/AGG and how it helped launch BuildWitt

With more than three decades of heavy civil construction experience, Don Swasing knows a thing or two about building high performance teams. As Chief Operating Officer at Schlouch Incorporated, Don has developed safety and leadership training programs and built a culture of open communication. Don will be presenting three education sessions at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 on profitability, conflict resolution and fleet management. Don and Host Missy Scherber dig into the topic of “crucial conversations” and why you need to master your interpersonal skills to drive better results. Once you learn how to effectively navigate high-stakes conversations, you’ll build credibility and strengthen relationships with your customers, peers, direct reports and superiors. They also cover: The "Gray Tsunami" and the impending skills gap When to say "no" to work Coaching and facilitating conversations to strengthen your team Providing authentic care, trust and help to your employees Reflections on 20+ years of attending CONEXPO-CON/AGG

Armed with a Blackberry and mad operating skills, Scott Colclough started PushySix® in 2012 as a YouTube channel affectionately named after his Caterpillar D6. Scott has grown PushySix® into a globally recognized brand with a mission of inspiring the next generation of heavy equipment operators. Scott joins host Missy Scherber to talk about his passion for equipment and technology, as well as his vision for workforce development. They also dig into: The most critical factor for successful technology implementation The technologies that will bring the most dramatic change to the industry in the next five years The untapped talent pool you’re overlooking How your managers and corporate culture are driving away good employees Tips for your trip to CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020

Are your legacy operators hesitant to use machine control? Are you worried the barrier to entry is too high? Ryan Goodfellow, owner of Rock Structures Utility & Excavating, joins Host Missy Scherber to talk about what technology to take advantage of now to increase productivity for your business.   They also cover: Mastering the groundwork to move from laborer to operator Building your clientele and repeat customers Persevering through times of economic turmoil Investing in your staff for improved performance and morale Planning your trip to CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 And six things you didn’t know about Ryan from his first job to his gas station guilty pleasure!

  Are you losing bids or struggling to recruit new employees? Is new technology passing you by? It’s time to channel your energy into the right areas to supercharge your business.    Keaton Turner, president of Turner Mining Group, joins Host Missy Scherber for the inaugural episode of “Contractor Conversations” on CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio.   They discuss: Taking the leap into starting your own business Where the mining industry is headed in the next 24 months Estimating, bidding and dealing with losses What technology and equipment is changing the game for Turner Using social media to tell your story and recruit your workforce

With the emergence of the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive analytics, and prescriptive analytics, wireless connectivity is the foundation that is needed to make all these connected strategies successful. Host Peggy Smedley and Marc Eisenberg, CEO, ORBCOMM, discuss how the industry is continuing to evolve, the different types of wireless connectivity available today and still emerging for the future, and trends that will continue to drive automation and digitization forward in construction.

Fred Fakkema, vice president, compliance, Zonar, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to dive into the topic of telematics—and how it can help improve safety and compliance on construction projects, answering if digital records do in fact help with audits. Fakkema and Host Peggy Smedley dig into the top areas that telematics can help a construction fleet become safer, as well as the barriers to adoption. They also identify what a construction company should look for when investing in a telematics solution.

No matter the size of your aerial fleet, managing equipment is a priority. This podcast digs into how telematics can help monitor how equipment is performing, how often a piece is being used, where each unit is located, and if it is ready for maintenance. Host Peggy Smedley and Christine Zeznick, Genie Senior Product and Business Development Manager, Terex AWP, talk about telematics and the company’s new Genie Lift Connect. They also discuss how we are moving from a world where information is currently descriptive to one that is more predictive and prescriptive.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are here and they are changing the way businesses operate. Host Peggy Smedley and Ganesh Bell, president, Uptake, talk about what exactly they will look like for construction—and the drivers and big opportunities that exist. They also provide key advice for executives who are considering emerging technology, while also addressing the results AI can provide and the main risks at play.

This episode identifies some of the biggest obstacles for contractors when it comes to supply-chain management—and how it has evolved in the past few years. Peggy Smedley and Alexander Schuessler, founder of SmartEquip and president of its International Group, talk about how technology can help increase efficiency from parts ordering to building materials delivery to equipment rentals —both today and in the future. They also offer tangible advice and strategies for contractors who are looking to get started using technology such as this—and the best steps to implementation. 

Learn practical strategies for how to choose the right machine control on equipment such as bulldozers. Host Peggy Smedley and guests Richie Snyder, solutions marketing manager, CASE Construction Equipment, and Max Winemiller, director of CASE’s Road & Site Prep Division, talk about if it is best for contractors to invest immediately in more advanced systems and go all in—or if there are ways to take a more entry level approach and build from there. They also discuss what dozer owners and operators can do to improve their experience and enhance the machine’s value.

Technology is helping construction companies break down silos on the jobsite and improve labor-productivity growth. Kris Lengieza, director of business development for the Marketplace at Procore, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to discuss why collaboration technology is important and the challenges with user adoption today. He also identifies the practical ways that a construction company can ensure the successful implementation of new software and the areas where it will provide immediate value.

There has been an uptick in construction companies leveraging fleet monitoring and management. Michael Ross, director of product, Takeuchi, joins CONEXPO-CON/AGG Radio to discuss trends in the space, share best practices for how companies can get started with fleet-management technology today, and provide examples of how construction companies have benefited. He also dives into the most important factors to consider when selecting the right equipment for the construction job.