Construction Buzz

What's in store for this year in the Construction Industry? Find out what's on the horizon as we discuss the indicators and trends that are buzzworthy. 

Joanne Brooks, Esq. Founding Director and CEO of JSSB Consulting educates us on how to leverage surety bonds to take your small business to the next level and the surprising decision that drives small contractors out of business. Joanne Brooks, Esq.is a lawyer and surety bond expert. She has held roles including Chief Underwriting Officer of Zurich Surety, Chief Risk Officer at Hanover Insurance and Vice President and Counsel for The Surety and Fidelity Association of America. She has earned her own broker’s license and focuses on bringing her strong knowledge and expertise to help contractors use surety to grow a stable and strong business.

Rita and Erika discuss the 2019 forecast vs. actual, infrastructure topics and major news in construction safety.

Sustainable design  - a term that is becomng ever more popular in the building industry. Some also call it Green Building or Green design - but they all mean the same. Rita Brown and Erika Harper break down LEED Certifications/Designations, what the industry already does to build better and more environmentally friendly structures, and what trends are on the horizon for the sustainable design movement.Resources for this episode:ccim.comUSGBCRocky Mountain Institute

The first episode in the Perspectives Series features :Anthony K Moore, (start - 15:45) Principal, and CEO at the Corporate Development Center for Paradigm Group Consultants,  talks about the importance of supplier diversity, growing sustainable companies, and how promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives improve companies’ bottom lines and the communities they serve. Anthony K Moore is a leader in implementing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs that have a lasting impact, and making sure the ethos carries over to the T1, T2 and T3 suppliers on the projects. He has consulted on hallmark projects at Penn State University, Carlisle Dickinson Law School and the Hershey Medical Center. He worked with the School District of Philadelphia to support MBE’s in the community and ensures the MBE’s were prepared to handle work with large projects. Tony has been extremely successful in building diversity programs that train employees and create cultural awareness for leaders.We speak with Anthony about the importance of supplier diversity, growing sustainable companies, and how promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives improves companies bottom lines, and the bolsters the communities they serve. Also featuring:Doreen Bartoldus, PE, CCM -  (15:47-end) Wastewater Construction Management Leader at Jacobs NY -   and NAWIC leader, joins us and talks about Wastewater Management, the state of our infrastructure, and her wide-ranging construction industry experience.Doreen Bartoldus is a Professional Engineer and Certified Construction Manager with a history of excellence on varied projects. She has experience across many aspects of construction including surveying, project management, water and wastewater management and more. Doreen generously donates her time to NAWIC, both at a local and national level to support other women in construction. Doreen speaks with us about water and wastewater management, the state of our infrastructure, and forging a path through the construction industry.

All across the country, schools, labor leaders, local governments and companies come together to give an inside view into apprenticeships during National Apprenticeship Week. On this episode, we are talking to Lee Graham, the Chair of MASCI (Michigan Apprenticeship Steering Committee, Inc) and Operating Engineers Local 324 leader about what Apprenticeships can offer, and why they are so important in today's economy.

Getting the training and education you need to be successful in the construction industry is often a path with less obstacles that requires less money than traditional 4 year college and graduate programs - what is out there, and how do I even know if I want a career in the AEC industry?

Professional networking and women's advocacy groups can really boost a career - but there are some caveats and potential pitfalls. Learn from our collective experience!