Sargent: On Track Podcast

The Sargent Flywheel continues to spin as we discuss the fourth cog—Invest in Equipment & Technologies. President and COO Eric Ritchie, Cost Control Manager Casey Noyes, Assistant Equipment Manager Brandon Mace, and Construction Technology Manager Jeff Costello discuss how leveraging the right tools, software, and partnerships is essential for boosting efficiency and streamlining processes, bo...

In this episode of the On Track Podcast, the team dives into the fourth cog of the Sargent Flywheel—Acquire Projects—and reveals just how vital it is for keeping the company moving forward. President and COO Eric Ritchie welcomes guests Chief Estimator Pat Dubay, Lead Estimator James McCarthy, and Mid-Atlantic Lead Estimator Aaron Tidd. Together, they discuss the balancing act of selecting the rig...

In this third installment of the Flywheel Miniseries, President and COO Eric Ritchie, VP of Operations, New England Doug Morrison, and VP of Operations, Mid-Atlantic Justin Porter dive into how Sargent stays agile and adapts to ever-shifting market realities. The crew highlights the importance of solid backlogs and strong relationships and underscores how ongoing training and mentorship prepare th...

Diving directly into the second installment of the Flywheel Miniseries, focusing on the critical topic of "Invest in People." President & COO Eric Ritchie is joined by long-time Sargent leaders Pete Parizo and Kevin Gordon from the Workforce Advancement Team in the Flywheel Studio to explore what it means to take a complete approach to employee development—not just through job-specif...

In this episode kicking off Season 6 of the Sargent On Track Podcast, President & COO Eric Ritchie, VP-Finance & CFO Tasha Gardner, and VP of Operations, New England Doug Morrison discuss the concept of the “Sargent Flywheel,” a framework that guides the company’s momentum by focusing on six core cogs: Invest in People, Adapt to Market Realities, Acquire Projects, Investing in Equipment &a...

In this special Christmas Eve edition of the On Track podcast, Eric Ritchie, Herb Sargent, and Tasha Gardner reflect on an extraordinary 2024 for Sargent. They celebrate major project wins, highlight safety milestones like surpassing 1,000,000 man-hours without a lost-time injury, and discuss leadership transitions and record-breaking financial achievements. With 29 shout-out submissions to fellow...

In this episode of the Sargent On Track Podcast, President & COO Eric Ritchie and VP of HR Amanda Martin introduce listeners to Sargent’s new and improved wellness program, rolling out January 1st on the WellRight platform. They’re joined by Sargent’s Wellness Program Coordinator, Lindsey Fiedler, who details a range of resources—from personal health coaching and educational courses to digital...

This episode offers an inside look at Sargent’s asphalt and aggregate operations as the team revisits the past year’s triumphs, lessons, and forward-looking plans. General Manager Asphalt & Aggregates Joshua Shaw, Asphalt Plant Manager Ed Barnes, and Aggregate Plant Manager Chris Curtis discuss their 2024 season. The crew shares how new equipment like an overland conveyor and silo additions ha...

President & COO Eric Ritchie is joined by VP of New England Operations Doug Morrison and VP of Mid-Atlantic Operations Justin Porter in the Flywheel Studio. They bring unique insights into future Sargent work and how things went in 2024. Lessons learned and celebrations permeate this episode; don’t miss it! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sa...

Herb, Eric, and Tasha share thankfulness for such a great and safe year. There is much to be thankful for all employee-owners between successful projects and an improved safety record! The crew also shares a collection of shout-outs from the field – showcasing all the thankfulness throughout the company! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent,...

The Workforce Advancement Team takes over the Flywheel Studio to discuss everything they have been working on over the course of 2024. Training, recruitment, mentorship, and a massive improvement in their efforts in the Mid-Atlantic and Piedmont Triad regions! Workforce Advancement Director Kevin Gordon, Workforce Development Manager Pete Parizo, Workforce Advancement Trainer Kendall Bickford, and...

Senior Foreman Jon Green, Human Resources Specialist Justin Embrey, and PCA Cody Collins visit the Flywheel Studio to discuss money management tools' impact on their financial lives. Specifically, Ramsey SmartDollar, a benefit Sargent offers to all employee-owners. Each shares how useful it’s been to help them keep track of their spending and their personal development of self-discipline – le...

VP of HR Amanda Martin joins us in the Flywheel Studio to talk about important changes and additions to Sargent 2025 benefits. Chris Libby to talk about the new Employee Assistance Program – goodbye automated prompts! Afterward, Amanda has a conversation with Lisa Nappi, a Benefits Account Manager at USI, she helps us with all of our benefits carriers. Lisa’s job is to ensure that every employee-o...

President & COO Eric Ritchie and Vice President-Finance & CFO Tasha Gardner wrap up all National Employee Ownership Month celebrations and discuss how great of a year Sargent is having. There is a lot to celebrate being an employee-owner at Sargent! They also announce our last winner of Price-Is-Right AND who won $500 from the ESOP Photo Contest! If you liked this week’s episode and are in...

Herb sits down with Glenn Adams, Sargent’s Director of Business Development, and Mark Adams, President, CEO, and Board Chair of Sebago Technics, another 100% employee-owned company. Sebago Technics specializes in site design and permitting services, guiding projects from initial conditions and design through permitting and construction. The conversation delves into the advantages of employee owner...

President & COO Eric Ritchie and Vice President-Finance & CFO Tasha Gardner sit down in the Flywheel Studio with two gentlemen from Sargent’s ESOP valuation firm, Chartwell. Tim Lang and Sam Newcomb delve into the crucial topic of how Sargent employee-owners can directly affect the ESOP valuation. This is invaluable information for those who are invested in seeing the ESOP stock price rise...

President and COO Eric Ritchie is joined by Heavy Equipment Operator Brian Loiselle and Survey Foreman Josh Taylor in the Flywheel Studio to talk about their careers and what employee ownership means to them. Brain has worked at Sargent for over 30 years and Josh for almost 20 years. These two have had great careers and have plenty of wisdom to pass on, so don’t miss out! If you liked this week’s...

This episode takes you to the Southern Maine Regional Party, where employee-owners gathered to celebrate significant milestones and the great year Sargent is having. Don’t forget to stick around for the second Price-Is-Right question! Winners will be announced next week! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on t...

CEO Herb Sargent, President and COO Eric Ritchie, and Mid-Atlantic VP of Operations Justin Porter sit down in the Flywheel Studio to discuss why this significant milestone is critical to share within and outside Sargent. If you’ve ever been curious about how the region has developed to where it is now, don’t miss this episode! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Empl...

President and COO Eric Ritchie is joined by Superintendents Keith Edgecomb and Jon Nadeau and Northern Maine Project Executive Brent Williams in the Flywheel Studio to discuss how their project went in Oakfield, Maine. The project had a tight window for a lot of work, and the guys fill us in on how they made it happen. Don’t miss this one! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in bec...

Superintendent Peter Broberg, Southern Maine Regional Manager Matt Thibault, and Business Development Director Glenn Adams radio into the Flywheel Studio to discuss how they’ve been planning for an upcoming project. Crews will tackle a 2.1-million-gallon storage tank for the Lewiston-Auburn Clean Water Authority to prevent untreated wastewater from entering the Androscoggin River. Also, don’t miss...

CFO Tasha Gardner and Small Tools Manager Bobby Leland visit the Flywheel Studio to discuss his 46-year journey at Sargent, saving for medical expenses and retirement. Like many, Bobby started his career at Sargent as a young man, not thinking too much about how he would pay for future medical expenses, let alone retirement. However, as the years went on, he realized the importance of early planni...

Senior Project Executive Travis Ridky and Superintendents Dustin Linders and Dale Louk call into the Flywheel Studio to discuss how the Sargent Core Purpose and Values are being lived out on their projects. There is a lot of mentorship going on in the region! Also, don’t miss three important announcements! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent...

Herb is joined in the Flywheel Studio by Trudi Plummer, Director of Education at the Maine Discovery Museum, and two Girls in Construction Camp campers, Lila and Amelia. They discuss the practical application of what they learned from the Sargent visit, emphasizing how understanding construction, working in teams, and showing kindness will be beneficial in their future endeavors. If you liked this...

The entire Sargent Safety Team visits the Flywheel Studio to discuss the importance of slowing down, assessing, and accomplishing tasks safely. Why are events like Safe & Sound Week important, and how do we balance production, quality, and safety? Answers to those questions and more on this episode, so don’t miss out! If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-...