Get the kNACk : A National Academy of Construction Podcast

Internship Programs are a Win-Win for students and the construction organization.  Mr. Elie Homsi, Senior Vice President and Fellow at Parsons, and Ms. Daisy Dominguez-Hooper, student at Cal Poly Pomona University and Wayne A. Crew NAC Scholarship Recipient (2023), discuss the importance of internship programs. The two guests join our host, Jerry Eyink, in an engaging conversation about the benefi...

As the new year advances, technological innovations continue to progress rapidly. Dr. Lucio Soibelman, the Fred Champion Estate Chair in Engineering Professor at USC, analyzes the growing integration of automation within construction. Dr. Soibelman accompanies our host, Bill O'Brien, in a compelling discussion about examples of current robotics usage and their limitations. He also explains why rob...

A new "Get the kNACk" series makes its debut. Jim Porter, retired chief engineer and vice president of DuPont, provides masterful wisdom and insight into imperative leadership qualities in construction. Mr. Porter joins our host, Jerry Eyink, in a fascinating conversation about leadership and navigating a successful yet challenging career. Eight compelling questions related to opportunity, collabo...

Welcome back to another exciting study of the Lessons of the Great Builders. Professor Paul Giroux, visiting professor of civil engineering at Purdue University, returns to expound upon the challenges and triumphs of the construction of the Panama Canal. Professor Giroux accompanies our host, Jerry Eyink, in an informative discussion about the context behind the project's origins as well as its te...

Planning for and managing risk is a vital component of all construction projects. Dr. William (Bill) J. O’Brien, professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, accompanies Jerry Eyink, in a thoughtful conversation about risk allocation. Dr. O’Brien breaks down the main parts of project risks and discusses factors that influe...

Hardhats are no longer the safest option to protect construction workers from traumatic brain injuries. William (Bill) Calhoun, Jr., Vice Chairman and Executive VP of Clark Construction, and Kris Manning, Chief Operating Officer of Clark Construction's Infrastructure Group, join Sue Steele in a discussion about the construction industry's dire need to transition from hardhats to helmets on project...

No matter what the circumstances are, it is always important to finish strong. Ron May, retired executive from DTE Energy, joins our host, Anna Franz, as they accentuate the imperativeness of closing out projects successfully. May provides several strategies to assist in thorough project resolutions. Lastly, Ron May mentions the use of high-level planning to ensure projects are effectively finishe...

In today’s successful construction projects, establishing a strong safety culture is paramount. Jeff Ehret, Chairman of the PENTA Building Group, joins our host, Sue Steele, in a discussion about the evolution of safety culture within the construction realm over the past 25 years. Ehret explains how earlier projects typically emphasized schedule and minimizing cost, placing safety as a third objec...

Life is sprinkled with an infinite supply of twists and turns. Few scenarios can be executed perfectly. Ron May, retired executive from DTE Energy, discusses adaptations to change with our host, Anna Franz. In the session, May outlines a plan of action for responding to unexpected changes during projects. May reveals the secret to balancing life’s curveballs and how to stay ahead  when it comes to...

Explore the marvels of iconic projects in this Lessons of the Great Builders. Our guest, Paul Giroux, has 5 decades of mega project industry experience and currently is a visiting professor of civil engineering at Purdue University.  Paul joins our host, Jerry Eyink, on a journey to share the story of the captivating construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. Paul mentions his personal outcomes in regar...

What qualities define a leader and how does one become successful? Jamey Barbas, project director at the New York State Thruway Authority, and Jill Tietjen, president and CEO of Technically Speaking, Inc., join our host, Anna Franz, to craft a brilliant process for successful leadership. The guests elaborate on characteristics of exceptional leaders and provide their own fascinating anecdotes from...

Joint Venture collaboration unlocks new ideas and opportunities that cannot be obtained individually in project execution. Jeffrey Ehret, Chairman of The PENTA Building Group in Las Vegas, NV, joins our host, Jerry Eyink, to explore the details of joint ventures in the construction sphere. During the session, Jeff highlights several fascinating joint venture arrangements that had significant impac...

Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform the way we live and work. Burcu Akinci, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, accompanies our host, Bill O’Brien, on a fascinating journey through the functions of AI in construction and civil engineering. Akinci also defines a “Digital Twin” and explains its importance when used in combination with AI fu...

Innovation is how the world advances beyond obsolescence. Richard (Rik) Kunnath, president of the Charles Pankow Foundation, accompanies our host, Jerry Eyink, on a fascinating discussion about the importance of innovation within the construction realm. Rik evaluates the symbiotic relationship between innovation and research during the session. In order to remain competitive on the global stage, t...

Improving construction productivity begins in early project design. Paul Goodrum, Professor and Department Head of Construction Management at Colorado State University, returns to explore construction productivity with our host Bill O'Brien. Paul explains that there is "no silver bullet" to improve productivity, but there is still hope for future usage of advanced technologies such as augmented re...

How does construction productivity compare to other industries? And do we measure construction productivity accurately? Paul Goodrum , Professor and Department Head of Construction Management at Colorado State University, joins our host Bill O'Brien to analyze the challenges of measuring construction productivity. Paul outlines the standards of productivity measurement on a domestic and internatio...

Innovation surrounds us every day… we just need to open our eyes to see the opportunities. Ron Klemencic , chairman and CEO of Magnusson Klemencic Associates, accompanies our host, Jerry Eyink, as he adventures through profound opportunities for innovation in the construction world. The industry, working together “collaboratively”, can turn innovative ideas into reality.

 May is Mental Health Awareness Month and NAC continues our focus on the importance of mental health and safety for all people in the Construction Industry. Kevin Hilton, CEO of IMPACT, Tom Shelby, Executive VP of Kiewit, and Alicia Edsen, VP of safety at Kiewit join Sue Steele, as she hosts a panel discussion to dive deeper into mental health awareness, including suicide in the construction indus...

Edd Gibson , President and CEO of the National Academy of Construction (NAC), joins our host Sue Steele to highlight the pertinent issue of mental health and suicide prevention in the construction industry. Recapping his Front-End Planning Guru podcast episode with David James from 2022, Edd discusses the importance of early planning in reducing the impact of mental health problems and outlines ke...

Sarah Slaughter , founder and president of the Built Environment Coalition, joins our host Jerry Eyink to discuss the growing emphasis on sustainability in the built environment. Sarah discusses the value & importance of incorporating sustainability and resilience from an early phase in projects to tackle natural and unexpected changes. Sarah also details some of the advancements made in const...

Ray Levitt , Kumagi Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and an Operating Partner in Blackhorn Ventures, joins our host Bill O’Brien to discuss technology adoption in the construction industry. Ray shares his deep experience as an academic, startup founder, and now venture capitalist to frame the challenges of deploying technology and the promise of convergent trends. Ray discusses the trials...

Ron May , retired executive from DTE Energy, joins our host Anna Franz to discuss the importance of quality management for a construction project. Ron outlines the key aspects of a robust quality management plan and the differences in quality control versus quality assurance. Ron emphasizes that risk is closely linked with quality control and the need for a comprehensive effort from the project te...

Frank Falciani , president of FWF Construction Consulting, LLC, joins our host Jerry Eyink to discuss contract management, highlighting its importance for successful project execution. Frank talks about the important aspects of contract management including the 4 legs of the project stool; safety, quality, cost, and schedule. In addition, Frank emphasizes that effective communication and relations...

Frank Falciani , president of FWF Construction Consulting, LLC, returns with our host Jerry Eyink to conclude the two-part series on project management. Frank continues his discussion on the project execution plan detailing the importance of project schedule, engineering, procurement, and project cost control. Effective project management provides value in leading the project team, including team...

Frank Falciani , president of FWF Construction Consulting, LLC, joins our host Jerry Eyink to discuss the tools required for the successful management of a construction project. Frank outlines a well-defined project execution plan (PEP), detailing how the steps of the PEP guide the project and support the project team to achieve its goals. This first episode focuses on the importance of project or...