Building PA Podcast

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-hearte...

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 i...

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 t...

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 di...

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 awaren...

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...

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 o...

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 pivote...

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...

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...

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 leaders...

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...

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 inve...

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 pil...

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 bo...

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 Cor...

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 initia...

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 s...

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. The...

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 op...

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 sh...

This week’s podcast discusses the KCA's scholarship program, highlighting its success in fostering the next generation of construction leaders in Pennsylvania. James Fretz, a scholarship recipient and construction management student at Penn College, shares his journey from a high school carpentry program to his current internship experiences. He emphasizes the valuable mentorship and hands-on...

In this week’s podcast episode, Jon and Chris chat with Ryan Englin, author of “ Hire Better People Faster! ” – an Amazon best-seller that reimagines hiring philosophies. Englin has been dedicated to helping service contractors and construction companies hire better people for over a decade. His passion stems from observing his father's struggles as an owner-operator in the construction indus...

In this week’s podcast episode, Jon and Chris chat about the evolution and impact of their long-running podcast, particularly their popular safety episodes. To keep the educational safety content from June’s National Safety Month going, the pair brought in Darren Rech to discuss even more safety resources. They emphasize the importance of toolbox talks and informal safety discussions covering a ra...

In the latest episode of Building PA Podcast, co-hosts Chris Martin and Jon O'Brien interview Makenzie Daniel, a sophomore safety science major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Makenzie shares her journey into the construction industry, highlighting her experiences and successes, including making the Dean's list and obtaining her OSHA 30 card. She discusses her motivations for purs...