CONEXPO – CON/AGG Podcast: Construction Business Insights For Contractors

On this highly anticipated episode of the podcast, Taylor White takes on the hosting duties and is joined by his very special guest, Scott Colclough. The pair talk about Colclough’s life, his business, his experiences with CONEXPO-CON/AGG, and the upcoming 2023 show. Upon getting his start in construction as an operator in Alberta, Scott acquainted himself with all of the skills, tools, and techni...

Kevin Gray took a leap of faith when he purchased a dying asphalt paving and sealcoating business in 2011. A small business loan, some rundown equipment, and entrepreneurial grit were all they had during the first few years. Now, thanks to the organizational processes and culture initiatives Kevin has implemented, Louisville, Kentucky-based ADC Paving is thriving.   Kevin and host Missy Scherber t...

Heath Hanna’s passion for dirt runs deep. He spent the first part of his career working as a Caterpillar dealer instructor before making the leap into starting his own construction business. With some serious work ethic and grit, his company, Contour Mining & Construction, has transformed from startup to one of the largest heavy civil contractors in South Carolina in 9 years.  Heath and host M...

Randy Blount, president of Arizona-based Blount Contracting grew up around the construction industry, helping at his family’s business during high school and college. When his dad received a cancer diagnosis, Randy was thrust into a leadership role at a young age.  Now 10 years later, we’re getting the scoop on how far the company has come and what’s in store for the next 10 years.  Randy joins ho...

Justin Ozinga is president of Ozinga, a fourth-generation family business best known for its red and white striped concrete mixer trucks. While involved in the company since a young teen, Justin moved up the ranks and was recently appointed as president of all of Ozinga operations, including ready mix concrete, aggregates and cement. Ozinga has more than 2,000 employees, primarily in operations in...

Herb R. Sargent is the president and CEO of Sargent Corporation, an infrastructure construction firm based in Stillwater, Maine.  Founded by his grandfather Herb E. Sargent in 1926 with a used dump truck and a strong work ethic as his assets, the company now has hundreds of employees owners working in New England and the mid-Atlantic regions. Herb and host Missy Scherber dig into workforce develop...

The youngest Black woman to receive California’s CSLB (A) General Engineering license, Jennifer Todd, serves as LMS General Contractors Founder and President. Jennifer heads the company’s management team and is responsible for developing & executing LMS’s strategic growth. Jennifer is a strong advocate for job creation and employee development. Her Greener Tomorrow apprenticeship program is ge...

Brian Hess, founder and president of The Pavement Group and Top Contractor School is shaking things up when it comes to sales, marketing and client relations in the asphalt and concrete paving industry. At The Pavement Group, Brian’s team takes a data-driven approach to solving customer problems and maintaining the highest level of service. He’s taken what he’s learned and helps other contractors...

Mikel Bowman has been a life coach, pastor, mentor, and culture guru. He has devoted his life to helping others realize their true potential. In this episode Mikel and host Missy Scherber dig into leading with joy and humility, as well as building a culture based on honesty, ethics and respect. Mikel's straightforward approach to everyday problems will help organizations of all sizes usher a great...

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 livi...

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. Th...

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...

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 every...

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 re...

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 leaders...

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...

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 o...

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 res...

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...

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 cliente...

  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 busin...

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 availab...

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. T...

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 compan...

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 re...