From Boots to Boardroom

In the second part of his conversation on From Boots to Boardroom, Coach Bryan Erwin breaks down how he transformed Bobcat Power's health and safety program from a "check-the-box" operation into an award-winning, belief-driven system rooted in accountability, open communication, and genuine care for the men and women working on the road. Bryan shares the fundamentals behind his obser...

Greg Smith, a veteran utility operations leader with over 20 years across manufacturing, supply chain, and electric utility operations, joins Hari Vasudevan on From Boots to Boardroom to challenge the conventional wisdom of cycle-based vegetation management. Greg reveals how his condition-based, data-driven approach has driven vegetation management costs down from nearly $8,000 per acre to as low...

In this episode of From Boots to Boardroom, host Hari Vasudevan sits down with Mark Frederiksen, President of Frederiksen & Frederiksen, a fourth-generation independent insurance agency based in Dallas, and his cousin Christian Frederiksen, a business and construction litigation attorney with over 30 years of experience. Together, they break down the real-world strategies that protect business...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom, we talk to Bryan Erwin — Corporate Health and Safety Officer for Bobcat Power, an Asplundh company. From a life-changing moment on a yellow school bus in Hubbard, Texas to riding a U-Haul through the night as an unpaid student assistant at the University of Texas, Bryan's journey is one of faith, grit, and relentless perseverance. Bryan shares how a caree...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom, we talk to Scott Craig and Stephen Day — experts in M&A law and investment banking. Scott is a Partner at Latham & Watkins, where he serves as a tech and M&A attorney helping emerging companies grow and exit. Stephen is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Navidar, an investment banking firm where he acts as a trusted advisor for M&A and ca...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom, we talk to Jeremy Dubow — CEO of Prosperity Partners. We dive into how tax planning can help entrepreneurs protect their wealth and grow their businesses. Jeremy shares his journey from starting at Arthur Andersen to co-founding his own firm in 2003. We discuss the importance of "running a business where they can sleep well at night" by having the r...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom, we talk to Matt Cathell — Founder of Gunnison Tree Services. Discover how entrepreneurial resilience turned a childhood obsession with heavy equipment into a powerhouse company sold to private equity.  Matt shares his deeply personal journey of growing up with dyslexia and using it as a foundation for his grit and resilience. We explore his early start as a 1...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom we talk to Tony Hazen — Managing Partner at DHR Global. We dig into the high-stakes world of executive search and how to build leadership teams that help companies scale. Tony shares his "bloody knuckles" approach to finding top talent, explaining why grit often outweighs a pedigree resume. He discusses the emotional challenge entrepreneurs face when...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom we talk to Scott Aaronson — Senior VP of Energy Security at EEI. The US grid is facing its biggest test in decades: can it handle the massive power demand from AI and data centers?   Scott breaks down why the myth that "the grid is old and antiquated" is wrong and reveals the $1.1 trillion investment plan over the next 5 years to modernize American i...

In this episode of Boots to boardroom we talk to Emad Al-Turk — former CEO of Waggoner Engineering and Trilon Group Water and Municipal Platform. Relationship-driven leadership is the secret to scaling a business while maintaining deep human connections. We explore Emad’s incredible journey from being a Palestinian refugee to leading one of North America’s top engineering firms. Emad shares how hi...

In this episode of Boots to Boardroom we talk to Rick Garland — a veteran lineman from IBEW Local 66. We explore the critical evolution of lineman safety and the hard lessons learned over a 40-year career. Rick shares his journey from roofing houses to leading crews in Texas, highlighting the stark contrast between old-school methods and modern safety culture. He opens up a personal tragedy involv...

In this episode of #FromBootsToBoardroom, Hari Vasudevan sits down with Brian McFarlin, an entrepreneur and utility industry leader whose 40-year career spans engineering, management consulting, and executive roles helping shape how major utilities source and manage engineering, construction ,  and professional services. From helping entrepreneurs break into large utilities like Oncor, to now lead...

In this episode of From Boots to Boardroom, Hari Vasudevan is joined by Reggie Comfort, a distinguished leader in the utility industry whose career journey spans grit, innovation, and impactful leadership. Raised in a small Texas community and inspired by family and the NASA space program, Reggie's rise from intern to Director at CenterPoint Energy reflects lessons learned at every stage from...

Description: In this episode of From Boots to Boardroom, Hari Vasudevan sits down with Drew Thompson, Manager of Distribution Reliability for Entergy New Orleans. From his humble beginnings in Mississippi and California to leading one of the most complex utility regions in the U.S., Drew shares his journey through engineering, leadership, and faith. He opens about lessons from the Super Bowl power...

Welcome back to From Boots to Boardroom! In episode 5, host Hari Vasudevan sits down with Stephen Day—investment banker, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder/operator across Navidar, Veta Nell, and Armour Excavating—to talk lessons from Wall Street to ranch roads and a frontline response to the July 4 Kerr County floods. Following the devastating July 4th floods in Kerr County, Stephen and his team...

In this engaging episode of From Boots to Boardroom, host Hari Vasudevan sits down with Neil Shah, President and CEO of CFMA, to explore the evolving role of financial professionals in construction, the impact of data and AI on the industry, and how building a culture of empathy and connection is vital for success. Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities facing construction, includ...

Welcome back to From Boots to Boardroom! In this third episode, host Hari Vasudevan, Founder and CEO of KYRO AI, sits down with RL Grubbs, a lineman and seasoned utility industry safety leader, to explore decades of experience driving workplace safety improvements and building a culture of safety and excellence in the line trade. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: - RL Grubbs’ journey from Vietnam...

Welcome back to the show, From Boots to Boardroom! In our second episode, host Hari Vasudevan, Founder and CEO of KYRO, is joined by Jeff White, a veteran in human performance to talk about improving workplace performance in the utility industry. What You'll Learn: - How human performance principles reduce errors and enhance safety - The importance of psychological safety and a learning cultur...

Welcome to the show, From Boots to Boardroom! In this inaugural episode, host Hari Vasudevan, Founder and CEO of KYRO, sits down with utility industry veteran Darrell Hallmark to talk about leadership lessons from the field to the C-suite. What You'll Learn: - How the utility industry has evolved over decades - Essential leadership principles for managing field and office teams - The critical role...