Powerline Podcast

Why the electrical industry is entering a decades-long boom. Ryan sits down with Pennsylvania Transformer Technology’s Bart Gaskey and Todd Davis inside one of North America’s largest transformer manufacturing facilities to explore the growing demand for power infrastructure and why the future of the electrical industry has never looked stronger. Bart is a strategic manufacturing leader with decad...

What does it take to become the kind of leader people actually want to follow? Ryan sits down with Randy Smith and Brian Allen, two leadership development professionals with decades of experience helping organizations build stronger teams, develop future leaders, and create lasting workplace cultures. From coaching supervisors and designing leadership programs to working alongside field operations...

What responsibility do we have to the next generation entering the trade? In this special episode, Ryan shares a live recording from the Perspectives Panel at the 2026 Infrastructure Safety Symposium (ISS), where he moderated a discussion on one of the industry’s most important challenges: generational knowledge transfer. Featuring two father-son duos from the utility industry, the panel brings to...

What does it take to turn a simple idea into something that could change an entire industry? Ryan sits down with Matt Ferguson, a journeyman lineman, storm worker, and inventor who spent years working in the field before developing a safer approach to one of the most common tasks crews perform every day. From chasing opportunities to break into the trade, to working long hours on storm restoration...

What happens before a single power line ever goes up? Ryan sits down with Jake Brown, Brad Minerick, and Jonathan Pipsair to pull back the curtain on foundation drilling, one of the most important and least understood trades in the utility industry. Jake is a VP-level drilling operations leader overseeing projects across North America. Brad is a superintendent who has spent years balancing road li...

What does it actually take to become a good powerline apprentice in 2026, and why are so many young apprentices feeling behind before they’ve even really started? Ryan sits down with Shayla Gaffney, a final-year powerline apprentice and content creator, sharing a more honest look at what apprenticeship actually feels like for the next generation entering the trade. From line school and storm work...

Why are so many good foremen burning out? Ryan sits down with Andrew Morgan, a Texas distribution foreman lineman who came up working backyards, reconductors, and storm work. From climbing poles as an apprentice to leading crews in the field, Andrew speaks from years of experience building and maintaining the power grid. Together, they dig into the controlled chaos of line work, why today’s foreme...

What does it actually take to make it in the trades? What is the industry getting wrong about the next generation coming up behind us? In this episode, Ryan sits down with Josh Nieves, a New York City-raised IBEW Local 3 master electrician and the youngest card-carrying superintendent in the local's 15,000-member history. Josh's father, a Light Heavyweight Golden Glove champion turned sign...

What does it really mean to be union, and what does it take to make the brotherhood worth fighting for? In this episode, Ryan sits down with Lori Maclean, a former BC Hydro HR professional and IBEW Local 258 staff member turned business manager candidate, who brings a rare dual perspective from both sides of the table. As a mother of two journeyman linemen, Lori's connection to the trade runs...

April 18th is National Lineman Appreciation Day. This episode is for the ones who got the call at 2 in the morning. The ones who kissed their sleeping kids on the forehead and drove toward the storm. This is a solo episode, no guest, just Ryan. Short and intentional. Because some things don't need to be long. They just need to be true. Ryan draws on 15 years in the trade, responding to storms...

What does it actually take to step into the workforce and earn respect from day one? In this special panel episode, Ryan hosts a diverse group of leaders at the LazyQ Ranch for a candid conversation with high school rodeo athletes preparing to enter the world beyond the arena. The panel brings together a World Champion Barrel Racer, Jordon Briggs, a 24-Time World Champion Roper, Jackie Crawford, a...

What would you do if you lost your leg at 15 and then decided to become a lineman? That's exactly what Brandon Crawford did. Born and raised in Arkansas, Brandon lost his leg below the knee in an ATV accident the week before 10th grade. Doctors gave his family a choice: amputate now, or try to save it and risk losing it anyway. They chose to try and he lost it regardless. He never looked back....

Ryan sits down with JJ Harrison, pro rodeo clown, master communicator, and Quanta Services ambassador for one of the most unexpected and inspiring conversations in Powerline Podcast history. JJ has spent 20+ years performing at the highest levels of pro rodeo, including the National Finals. He's a stand-up comedian on the world's most dangerous stage, dodging bulls while keeping thousands...

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Tyrel Crystal for a candid conversation that bridges the gap between the line side and the civil/underground world and why understanding each other’s work matters more than ever. Tyrel shares what it’s been like watching the “door get kicked open” with Quanta-level opportunity, going from underground utilities and civil work into larger-scale projects like ROW...

In October 2025, Hudson and I attended the International Lineman’s Rodeo. At the time, he had just graduated high school. College didn’t feel like the right path. He was unsure what came next. Like so many young people today, he felt the weight of expectation but not the clarity of direction. In this episode, we sit down and talk honestly about where he’s at. We talk about school. ADHD. Dyslexia....

Jesse McKeral isn’t just a lineman. He’s a teacher. A safety leader. And one of the most recognizable voices in the trade online through his platform @afewclickslow. In this episode of the Powerline Podcast, we talk about: • What mentors did right and wrong when we were coming up • The biggest mistakes apprentices are making today • Why safety and operations shouldn’t be at odds • What linemen mis...

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with Alex Lacey to talk about leadership, risk, and why communication – not compliance – is what actually keeps crews safe. We unpack the current state of safety in the trades, why memorizing rules isn’t the same as understanding risk, and how complacency quietly creeps into even the most experienced crews. Alex breaks down how leaders can explain r...

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with safety professionals from Arizona Public Service to unpack a different way of thinking about safety, one rooted in Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) and the belief that error is normal, learning is vital, and blame doesn’t improve work . We explore how HOP shows up in real-world, high-risk environments like linework and substations, wh...

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with Juan Huerta and Beau Tubbs from Arizona Public Service for a deep dive into the world of substation work—one of the most critical, high-risk, and least understood parts of the power system. We unpack what a real day in the life of a substation electrician looks like, why precision matters when the margin for error is slim, and how trust, commun...

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with APS foremen Casey Lozier, Eric Eager, and Andrew Schonhoff for an honest roundtable conversation about what really holds crews together in the trade. We talk openly about trust, mentorship, brotherhood, and the human side of being responsible for people — not just production. This conversation goes beyond the job and into the realities foremen...

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with Brian "Biscuit" Alston , Artie Garcia , and Todd Wilson from Arizona Public Service for a raw conversation about what really changes when the work stops being just about you and starts being about everyone else. We talk about the moment responsibility shifts, how trust is earned from crews who used to be your peers, and why brotherhoo...

In this episode of Powerline Podcast, I sit down with Mackenzie Rodgers, Vice President of Transmission & Distribution Operations at Arizona Public Service, for a powerful conversation on leadership, legacy, and long-term growth in the utility industry. Mackenzie shares her journey from interning at APS to stepping into a VP role—along with the lessons she learned along the way that continue t...

Karl Studer’s story is one of grit, vision, and staying rooted in where you came from. In this episode of Powerline Podcast , Ryan sits down with Karl Studer, Executive Vice President Electric for Quanta Services, to unpack his journey from growing up on a ranch in Idaho to becoming a lineman, building and scaling his own power line companies, and ultimately stepping into executive leadership at o...

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Elden Rivas — a Houston-based lineman from North Houston Pole Line, dedicated family man, and someone who takes his craft and his health seriously. Elden shares where his journey began, how he found his way into the line trade, and the mentors and moments that shaped him. We talk about balancing family with long days, why discipline matters, and how focusing on...

Austin Carr is a lineman from Florida and goes by the name America's Favorite Lineman on social media. I caught up with Austin for a quick tailgate sit down interview at the International Lineman's Rodeo. He shared his journey into the trade, advice for young apprentices and linemen, and how social media has changed his life in a positive way. We even talked about money and how the most mo...