The Building BITE

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome our guests Damien Caldwell and Tom Stebbins. Damien returns to the show as Co-Founder and CEO of ASG National and Tom as Executive Director of Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York. We begin the episode by discussing the various paths of Damien and Tom through their careers which lead them to the founding of the IFraud Foundation. Tom and Damien look to shine a light on the alarming threat to the insurance market both in NYC and elsewhere, while providing solutions to this growing problem. Throughout the discussion, Damien and Tom look to share their expertise as subject matter experts ultimately leaving our audience with three key takeaways. 1. The State of The Market: It is now become overwhelmingly clear that fraud is and has been a major problem plaguing the NYC construction insurance industry. The quicker we can identify these things, the better your chances are of solving the problem. 2. Lack of Collaboration to Blame: The first step is to look internally and recognize that as an industry, our lack of collaboration is a leading factor in this issue. While no one industry partner had all the answers, we all need to be better at information sharing to prevent this type of issue in the future. 3. Be Part of The Solution: Now more than ever is the time to get involved and begin to collaborate and share information to eliminate fraud. Organizations such as IFraud are just one of many ways in which you or your firm can move to make the industry a better place, but it all starts with taking a proactive approach and making that first step. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Damien and Tom on “Identifying the Who, What, and Where Leading to the IFraud Foundation.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Peter Ukstins, Head of Construction Risk Engineering at AXA XL. We begin the episode by learning about Peter and his career path leading him from his time as a claims adjuster, to contractor, and now leading the talented team of Risk Engineers at AXA XL. With his expanded responsibilities, our topic of quality has become an even bigger focus for Peter and his team. Peter stresses that “If quality is everyone's responsibility, then that means no one specifically is responsible” which allows for the very real bystander effect to impact projects. Before leaving, Peter gives our audience his three key takeaways on the topic of quality. 1. Practice What You Preach: Having a formal quality strategy and plan/procedure is great, and should be the starting point for all contractors, but it is not enough on its own. The plan needs to be routinely checked, verified, and potentially even adjusted for unique project requirements if necessary. This should be an ongoing process; quality is an ongoing endeavor and not a stagnant process. 2. Build A Strong Culture: While nothing will ever fully replace one's technical knowledge, the soft skills and communication abilities of your team are of growing importance in the modern workplace. Be sure to encourage communication and respect, which will drive better results through streamlined process handoff. 3. Use Your Resources: A good resource is a terrible thing to waste. You should always look to engage early and often with your Risk Engineers from your insurance provider, as they can help assist and update your current strategy. This will not only benefit your team and processes, but also helps to inform the carrier of your existing process which can lead to your RE advocating with underwriting to get you better policy coverages, endorsements, and pricing. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Pete on “The Keys to Advancing Quality.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Theresa Guertin, Partner and member of Management Committee at SDV Law. We begin the episode by learning about Theresa and how she found a home early in her career at SDV Law going from Intern to part of the Management Committee at the firm. Theresa takes the time to walk us through some notable cases that have been happening around the country, zeroing in on the impact they will have within the construction industry. Before leaving, Theresa gives our audience three key takeaways. 1. Best Defense Is a Good Offense: Regardless of where you sit at the table, it is important to understand the legal strategy and case law precedent that is currently being used in the construction industry. Having a clear understanding of what has happened will help you better prepare to advocate for yourself in future situations. 2. Contracts Must Be Clear: Take the time to review your contracts and modify them to determine which endorsements are and are not acceptable. Additionally, it is imperative that you review your endorsements and determine that they are fully capturing all of the necessary parties. 3. Clarity is Key: When reviewing your own policies, regardless of the case law in your jurisdiction, you want to make sure that faulty work can constitute as property damage as an occurrence. Taking back coverage should happen in your exclusions rather than your insuring agreements. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Theresa on “A Focus on Case Law and the Evolving Landscape of Construction Insurance.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome our guests Joey Nawa CPCU, RPLU, CRIS, and David Slaugenhoup. Joey is an Executive Vice President and David a Senior Vice President both with RT Specialty in their Environmental & Construction Professional group. We begin the episode by discussing the various paths of Joey and David within the Insurance Industry which has led them both to decade long careers at RT. David then gives our audience a quick refresher on what exactly Rectification Insurance is, and some best use cases for the coverage. Throughout the discussion Joey and David look to share their expertise as subject matter experts ultimately leaving our audience with three key takeaways. 1. Educate: This is a dynamic policy to have in your portfolio, but one that requires some additional education as the industry continues to embrace this line of coverage. This is not to say that everyone needs to be an expert on Rectification, but proper education throughout the organization from your risk management all the way to the project level will help streamline the claims process and avoid potential pitfalls. 2. Engage: You don't know what you don't know. Each carrier has nuances to their policy language, and reporting provisions could vary. Early engagement from the project team and surface level understanding of how your firm's policy is written could be the difference between a successful or challenging rectification claim. 3. Embrace the Process: Rectification Claims are nuanced and often times a complex process, spanning months and potentially years. Having a collaborative team of vendors and internal support will help streamline the claims process and drive a positive claims resolution. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Joey and David on “Pain Points and Best Practices; How to Navigate Rectification Claims.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Brian Perlberg, Senior Counsel of Construction Law and Contracts at AGC as well as the Executive Director & Senior Counsel of ConsensusDocs. We begin the episode by learning about Brian, his longstanding tenure with AGC, and the process that lead him to build out what is now ConsensusDocs. Brian articulates the growing need for industry standards which are not perceived to be biased, and the lasting impact this can have for construction contracts. Before leaving, Brian gives our audience three key takeaways. 1. Better Contracts, Better Results: Use your contract to manifest a successful business relationship. When you view your contract as the foundation of your success, just as in construction, a proper foundation will lead to a good build. 2. Start Integrating Risk Management Company Wide: Risk management should be seen as an enterprise system rather than something done in isolation. Get your various stakeholders such as safety, risk management, bonding and insurance all talking in the same room. 3. Communication, Not Silos: Not every situation is a nail looking for a hammer. Good effective communication can help to streamline jobs and avoid escalation which ultimately leads to negative experiences and impacts business relationships. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Brian on “In an Evolving Market, the Need for Industry Standards Remains.”

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome James Pappas, VP, Construction Professional Liability at Convex US. We begin the episode by learning about James and his unique career progression, as someone who chose to study risk management & insurance in college before beginning his career. James went on to become an underwriter with AXA XL where he focused on Contractors Professional Liability for several years before leaving for his current role at Convex US. Through this conversation, James helps our audience better understand what Rectification Coverage is, and how to best utilize the insurance, leaving us with three key takeaways. 1. Pick Your Partner Carefully: When it comes to selecting an insurance carrier, make sure you choose a carrier partner who is committed to creating best practices for you and your firm. Having a strong team that can help educate and guide your firm is critical when creating a plan of action both for the project and legal teams. 2. Report Report Report: One of the biggest pitfalls that plagues insureds is a lack of timely reporting. Be sure to communicate early and often with your carrier and provide notice per policy guidelines. Early notice that does not result in claims is never a bad thing and should be viewed as a positive within the carrier insured relationship. 3. Importance of Prequalification: With a growing market, it is imperative that insureds do their homework when it comes to selecting their subcontractors and design partners. While Rectification Insurance is an important tool for contractors, the first step towards risk mitigation is selecting your partners carefully to avoid untimely delays and design errors on projects. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with James on “Rectification 101: Rectification Done Right.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Chris Mortifoglio, CPA,CFE, Principal & Founder at Rockland Consulting Group. We begin the episode hearing about the various experiences that ultimately lead Chris to starting his own firm with a focus on helping insureds package insurance claims. Chris shares some growing trends he has seen in the market, with Cyber Insurance becoming a key player as it touches so many commercial verticals. Chris shares some key examples of how Cyber losses are an increased area of concern for the Construction Industry leaving our audience three key takeaways. 1. Cyber Risk is Growing: As the Construction Industry continues to grow and advance through technology, cyber risks are going to become a more significant concern. As the risks continue to evolve in the years ahead, be sure to stay vigilant and plan for the upcoming challenges. 2. Be Mindful of Your Technology Partners: It is imperative that you choose your technology partners wisely, as their IT infrastructure adds another element of risk to your business. Make sure you are proactive when addressing data integration and protecting not only your business but partnering with firms that have taken similar precautions with theirs. 3. Cyber Insurance: a Must Have: Although not always at the front of mind for many in the Construction Industry, it is important to secure and utilize Cyber Insurance. This is an important tool, like many other lines of insurance, that allows for the transfer of risk and can help mitigate and educate insureds looking to protect against cyber occurrences. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Chris on “Cyber Insurance, a growing need for the Construction Industry.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Shayne Gaffney, Senior Product Manager at Highwire. We begin the episode by learning about Shayne and his unique career progression, from high end training with US Cycling to working as a Senior Product Manager at Highwire. Shayne was able to leverage his experience as a coach into a successful career helping contractors maximize their potential. Through this conversation, Shayne helps our audience better understand the various tools and industry resources available when assessing your subcontractor prequalification strategy, ultimately leaving us with three key takeaways. 1. Is This the Right Sub-Contractor for This Project: While it is important to look at the larger picture when evaluating your sub-contractors, you can not lose sight of the task at hand. Making sure your sub has the work experience and capacity necessary for the next project is imperative to your success; factors such as geography, type of work, and project size should be key benchmarks as you make these decisions. 2. Make Sure Your Data is Comprehensive: We need to think of data like any other tool in your toolbelt. To use it properly you need to focus on getting complete data sets from your subs and streamline the way in which that information is shared. Doing so will increase your team's ability to digest this information and perform comprehensive assessments. 3. Think Holistically: There are many variables that go into creating a comprehensive pre-qualification assessment, and managing all of them can be a tall order. Make sure to find the right technology partners who will help you quantify this data in a concise way, empowering your team to make the best decision for you and your firm. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Shayne on “How Prequalification Drives Contractor Success.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes back Bret Bush, Co-Founder, EVP of Insight Risk Technologies. We begin the episode by revisiting our previous discussion with Bret about Insight Risk, their IoT capabilities, and their insurance offering. Bret takes us through various examples of how their offering has grown, and the ways in which he believes it will best impact the market at large. Through this conversation Bret leaves our audience with three key takeaways. 1. Stay On Top of Technology: Technology is rapidly advancing and can become difficult to monitor if you take a step back for too long. Be diligent in your research and understanding of what is available in your market. Staying “tuned in” can keep you apprised of key developments that may help reduce price or increase functionality for your company's needs. 2. Get Everyone to The Table: This is not a one-man band, and the best way to identify solutions is to take the pulse of all the stakeholders and lean on the experience in the room. Doing this will reduce friction when implementing new technologies and create a greater buy-in for both the insured as well as their carrier partners. 3. Find The Right Partner: Make sure you select your partners carefully! Nothing happens in a vacuum and when challenges arise, you will want to make sure that your chosen team is prepared to provide guidance and educational support. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Bret on “Risk Mitigation, Building on Incremental Success.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Joe Poliafico, Director of Client Experience at The Baldwin Group. We begin the episode by learning about Joe and his unique career progression, from safety, to risk management. We see how Joe was able to leverage his on-site safety knowledge into a successful career in risk management, which has led him to his current role at The Baldwin Group. Through this conversation, Joe helps our audience better understand the various benefits of bringing your safety team into the fold when it comes to risk management, ultimately leaving us with three key takeaways. 1. Think Wholistically: When looking wholistically at your risk, it is best to draw on the experience of the various teams at your disposal. Tying a field piece with your safety team to the overall risk mitigation strategy is one such way to maximize the impact of your collective efforts. 2. Risk Management Doesn't Happen In A Vacuum: Even if your firm does not want to bring a Safety Member into the Risk Management Team full time, you should still be looking to create a dialogue between the two groups. There is great value in fostering a relationship between these two groups which can act as the bridge between corporate strategy and on-site execution. 3. Maximize These Benefits: Once your team begins to create this synergy, there is a real opportunity to take this increased alignment and potentially increase your appetite for risk. With the correct programs in place, your team may be able to decrease premiums and find opportunities to request higher deductibles, ultimately increasing profits if the risk is managed correctly. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Joe on “The Evolution of Safety to Risk Management.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome back Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America or AGC, Ken Simonson. Throughout the episode, Ken dives into AGC's latest construction outlook report, as well as the 2024 Annual Workforce Shortage Survey. Ken dives into several compelling statistics throughout the episode, leaving our audience with three key takeaways. 1. Job Openings Remain hard to fill: As noted across the board through the AGC Survey, nearly all participants mentioned the challenges they are faced with when it comes to filling jobs with qualified workers. 2. Opportunities Are Coming: Even as others believe the economy may be slowing down, there is reason for optimism. Data Centers and Manufacturing Plants are continuing to pop up at a high clip along with infrastructure projects such as Solar Fields and Battery Plants. The expectation is that these projects will not slow down and if anything, are only gaining momentum. 3. Costs Should Stay Consistent: The market is looking to stabilize and should provide some level of comfort when it comes to project costs. The only outlier in this would be transformers and switch gear, so contractors should plan accordingly to accommodate for those needs specifically. To learn more about Ken's latest construction report, listen to our full podcast episode with Ken Simonson. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome back Patrick McBride, Head of Construction Property at Zurich North America. We begin the episode by revisiting our previous discussion with Patrick about Zurich and their evolving Parametric Offering. Patrick takes us through various examples of how the policy has grown, and ways in which he believes it will best impact the market at large. Through this conversation Patrick is able to help our audience better understand the various benefits offered through a Parametric Policy ultimately delivering our audience three key takeaways. 1. Less Talk, More Walk: It is time to lean in and take a deep dive on how Parametric Insurance can elevate your risk management strategy. By taking the time to work with your broker and seek out the quotation process, our industry will begin to elevate their understanding of the product and potentially find new and unique solutions to their risk profiles. 2. Stay Ahead Of Contract Requirements: While it is not yet standard, we are seeing a change in how contracts are being written when it comes to weather delays. Parametric Policies offer a unique solution, both for the contracts of today, and can be custom designed to help accommodate the contracts of tomorrow. 3. Policy Is Still Evolving: While many aspects of the Parametric Policy are still new to the industry, it is certainly not done growing yet. There is an active effort to expand coverage accounting for “Human Elements” such as air quality and extreme heat which is an area of growing need. Accounting for these new types of perils will allow for better alignment with site health and safety, aim to provide indemnity for project costs, and create alignment with other lines of insurance such as Workers Compensation. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Patrick on “Demystifying Parametric Insurance.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Tom Kellogg, Founder and Principal at Maple Insight. We begin the episode by discussing the journey Tom took from Purchasing Manager of a large Construction Firm, to eventually founding Maple Insight. Tom explains his philosophy on how to best quantify and address risk, with continuous and diligent reporting. Through this process Maple Insight delivers top quality insights to the various stakeholders of the construction industry and paints a detailed picture size and scope of their risk portfolio. Before we end the conversation, Tom delivers to our audience his three key takeaways. 1. Risk Must Be Quantified: Creating an accurate assessment of your risk requires an academic approach with a focus on data. While it is natural to maintain industry relationships with vendors, proper risk assessment through academically driven data should be the leading determinant in future decisions. 2. Trust The Process: Whatever your process is, it needs to remain consistent. This is not to say that exceptions cannot be made, but should be done knowing that the fundamental process has been equal and equitable for all parties across the board. 3. We Need To Understand The Risks: There will always be risks, but we can't let that impede us from moving forward. Just as you wear a helmet when riding a bike in case you fall, it is important to understand the risks ahead and plan accordingly. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Tom on “Construction Technology, Taking an Objective Look at Risk” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Josh Rogove, President, and Trevor Casey, CRIS, New Business Development Leader at Consolidated Risk Solutions. We begin our episode discussing how both Josh and Trevor found their way into the insurance business, Josh took a more direct path through a carrier training program while Trevor ultimately started on the financial and Life Insurance side of the industry before landing at CR-Solutions. Josh and Trevor showcase their impressive knowledge of the industry and leave our audience with three key takeaways. 1. Insurance Tracking On Large Projects Is Important: It is imperative that you have a clear plan when tracking your insurance. It is not enough to rely on the Certificate of Insurance or COI, but you must be aware and calculated when tracking your endorsements, policies, and insurance as a whole. 2. Choose Software That Works With The End User In Mind: There are many different software solutions out there now, but you should never settle for the status quo. Make sure you are finding solutions that really understand your core business and are designed to help you accomplish those goals rather than selecting a one size fits all options. 3. Education Is Key: Take the time to do your homework when making your business decisions. Weather you are expanding into new markets or identifying new products to help reduce your risk, you should always look to engage your network to learn best practices and lean on their experience. In short, measure twice and cut once! To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Josh and Trevor on “Maximizing Your Insurance Risk Management Programs” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Terence Curran, Chief Operating Officer with the Amphibious Group. We begin the episode by discussing the various stops along Terence's professional career, starting with his passion for helping the community as an EMT. Terence quickly saw an opportunity with Amphibious Medics, where he has since helped to expand the company, and is now COO of the Amphibious Group. Terence takes the time to walk us through his newest venture which is the creation of a Safety Captive Program, and leaves our audience with three key takeaways. 1. Robust Safety Programs Are Not Just For The Big GCs: There are options that exist out there for true robust safety programs. Never settle for the status quo and look for opportunities to innovate and join like minded groups such as a safety captive to help you get where you want to be. 2. Time To Dust Off Your Safety Manual: It should not be taken for granted that your safety manual has everything you need if you are not continuously reviewing and updating it. There is no such thing as being too prepared, so be sure to make the time with your team to get consistently together and update your safety program. 3. Work With Your Team: Make sure to utilize the resources that are available to you with either your broker or carrier as the ideal options. There may be solutions that they are aware of that would greatly benefit your business. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Terence on “Safety Captives, What They Are and How They Work” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Ken Jones CCM, Risk Engineer at Liberty Mutual. We begin the episode by discussing the various stops along Ken's professional career, starting out in the Surety Industry before ultimately coming over to Liberty Mutual to focus on their SDI Product. Ken walks us through the various roles that Risk Engineers play both internally within their firm, and externally with clients depending on what the situation calls for. Before we wrap up, Ken leaves us with three key takeaways. 1. The Many Hats Risk Engineers Wear: From financials to operations, Risk Engineers have a huge scope of knowledge and can be vital to program success. With so much knowledge available, be sure to ask questions and lean on the experience of those dedicated risk professionals around you. 2. Geographic Diversity: With more and more mega projects coming to market, there is a great opportunity for GCs to expand their business, but not without risk. Having a geographically diverse team of Risk Engineers can help alleviate concerns for those entering new markets and provide local insight and information. 3. Experience Is Important: The experience of your Carrier is a critical component and should be evaluated by Insureds when looking to place coverage. Be sure to ask questions and take a deep dive into the various resources available to you when selecting your team. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Ken on “The Who, What, And The Why Behind Risk Engineering” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome back Cheri Hanes, CRIS, LEED AP, who is VP, Head of Innovation at AXA XL. We begin the episode by discussing the various stops along Cheri's professional career where she began to recognize her passion for sustainability and innovation as a driving force in her work. Now, as head of innovation at AXA XL, Cheri guides us through her own views on the current state of the industry, along with the work she and AXA XL are doing to elevate and drive the industry forward. At the end of our conversation, Cheri leaves our audience with three key takeaways. 1. Start With The “Why”: There are many new and exciting technologies entering the market, however, we should always be asking ourselves one fundamental question “What are we trying to accomplish and who are we trying to accomplish it for?” Clearly defining your goal with the chosen technology will help to increase company buy in and should be done early and often. 2. Bring Diverse Team Members To The Table? It is important to cast a wide net when seeking input for your AI implementation. By inviting a diverse group, you can gain greater insight into various use cases where AI can be implemented to help both your core business as well as your support staff which leads to an enhanced work product. 3. AI Is Not Going To Wait For You To Be Ready: We are in the here and now, so if you are not already thinking about how to best implement AI, you are likely behind. The good news is that these changes do not have to be grand sweeping changes. Cheri advocates that companies begin by looking at, and potentially amending, their Internet and Social Media Policy to include AI as they are so closely tied together now. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Cheri on “AI In Construction, Brave New World, or Old Hat?” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Nick Caravella, AIA, NCARB, NOMA, Director of Growth and Industry Strategy at Avicado Construction Technology Services. We begin the episode by discussing Nick's professional career. He initially started working as an Architect out in Denver Colorado but found himself feeling compelled to elevate the industry at large. To do so, Nick joined Avicado where he helps streamline owners' technology integration with various industry stakeholders and ultimately enhances the world of design and construction. Before we wrap up the conversation, Nick leaves us with three key takeaways. 1. There Is No Substitute for Good Planning: 95% of the industry data currently being collected is unstructured, meaning there is no clear-cut plan for how to optimize that data. Take the time to get ahead of the curve by reviewing your data and creating a road map for the “how” and the “why”. This will pay dividends when AI and other automations become even larger fixtures within the construction and design industry. 2. Who Else Needs to be at the Table? Nothing in the Construction and Design Industry happens in a vacuum, and while deadlines are tight, it is important to look around and make sure you are bringing in the right people. Seeking input from various stakeholders in the project along with industry experts will help you troubleshoot a wide range of problems before they happen, while keeping your team within their areas of expertise. 3. Ask How My Work Impacts Your Work: Whether your focus is on BIM or a specific trade, it is important to understand the impact your work has on those around you. Taking the time to communicate your process and understand the work of those around you will ultimately lead to better handoffs and reduce potential bottlenecks on the project. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Nick on “Maximizing Owners Operations Efficiency Through Construction Technology.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Nick Demonte, Cement Mason Coordinator, and Tim Nelson, Plastering Coordinator at ITF OPCMIA. We begin the episode by discussing Nick and Tim's professional career, which eventually lead them both to an educational role. Nick and Tim share the new technology they are bringing to the industry and demonstrate the need to incorporate these new strategies due to the labor workforce continuing to shrink. Nick and Tim leave provide excellent insight into the labor force at large, and ultimately leave us with three key takeaways. 1. Recruit: As an industry, we are losing more workers than we are bringing on and we need to find ways to recruit diverse talent. Using tools such as the VR Simulator is just one way that we are looking to engage with both our existing prospect pools and to expand into new groups that may not have otherwise looked at the trades. 2. Train: It is not enough to simply get more people to join the labor work force, but we need to train these new workers to be able to hit the ground running and shorten their learning curve. Using these technologies enables the industry to do exactly that, while offering opportunities to existing laborers to renew certifications and enhance their own experience. 3. Retain: As it stands, industry data shows that in the coming years we will be losing four workers for every one that enters the labor workforce. Investing in technology and demonstrating to new workers the career opportunities available to them will be instrumental to retention rates and the long-term success of our industry. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Nick and Tim on “Virtual Training, Enhancing On The Job Learning.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Hyder Naqvi, CEO at Injala, and Matthew Bogobowicz, Product Manager at Injala. We begin our episode discussing how both Hyder and Matthew both found their way into the insurance business, acquiring the necessary experience to ultimately launch a product such as Injala. Specifically for Hyder, combining a passion for technology with an early family introduction to the insurance industry allowed him to think critically about the challenges we face, and look to provide a solution through the Injala offerings. Hyder and Matthew walk us through these opportunities to expand how we manage our industry, leaving us with three important action items. 1. Have a Formal Risk Management Process In Place: While it can appear daunting, it is imperative to have a formal risk management process in place. Regardless of the size of your company, look to utilize the expertise of your strategic partners such as your broker and trusted vendor partners. Not everyone is going to be able to employ a full-time Risk Manager, but working alongside these partners who specialize in risk management will be vital to your success. 2. Be Driven by Outcomes: Creating a standard process has long been an effective method of generating measured and desirable outcomes. With that in mind, it is important not to lose sight of the “why” behind those processes. It can be easy to fall into a false sense of security within these internal systems, so think critically to make sure you are not just checking boxes as you go. Ask yourself, am I achieving the desired outcome through this process? If the answer is no, it is time to revisit your thinking on the topic. 3. Incorporate Technology: We all use technology to some extent; however, you should not allow yourself to become complacent. Technology is always pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and likewise, you should look to engage with your technology partners to continuously ask what else you can be doing. This dialogue will not only sharpen your ability to think critically of how to maximize your internal systems but can strengthen the partnership with your technology vendors. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Hyder and Matthew on “Solving Network Organization, Advancing Beyond Excel Spreadsheets.”

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome a trio of Construction Risk Partners leading minds with Jim Budwell, Director of SDI Risk Management and Claims, Erin Pfeifer, Head of Claims, and Gary Rispoli, Partner, and Director of Surety. We begin the episode by discussing how effective communication is the key to providing effective guidance within the Construction Industry. We focus on breaking down that communication even further by offering two different segments, both pre-claim collaboration and post claim collaboration. Jim, Erin, and Gary demonstrate their cohesive relationship all throughout the show ultimately leaving our audience with three key takeaways from our talk: 1. Communication is Key: A key theme here is getting together to really communicate effectively and efficiently. When you can utilize the team around you to draw on their experience it is far easier to receive proactive guidance and navigate the pitfalls that we all have seen and experienced in this industry. 2. Different Disciplines, Same Level of Communication: Nobody knows everything, and sometimes looking at the same problem from a different vantage point can lead to the best solutions. Trust in your abilities and those of the team around you to navigate industry obstacles through collaboration. 3. Keep Open Lines of Communication: Take the time for your leadership to get together, even if there is no set meeting agenda. Having a pre-set meeting time either weekly, monthly, or quarterly for your team where parties can share progress and challenges often helps to nip problems in the bud and mitigate risk. Most would agree it is easier to end a meeting early if all is going well than to scramble to get everyone together when a problem arises. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Jim, Erin, and Gary on “Mitigating Risk Through Successful Partnership.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome David Guerino, SVP and Managing Director of Captive Insurance at KeyState Companies, and Scott Allan, Chief Risk Officer at STO Building Group. We begin the episode by discussing David and Scott's professional careers in the construction and insurance industries that eventually lead them to partnering together in creating a captive. David works to help demonstrate some of the many nuances around setting up captives while Scott shares his firsthand experience in the matter. From there, we have a great conversation which is highlighted by our three key takeaways. 1. A Captive Is a Great Tool: Captives are formalized funding mechanisms that are regulated and can vary depending on where they are domiciled. As a potential risk mitigation solution, they are uniquely designed to help you manage and mitigate the cost of your risk. 2. There Is a Misconception Around How Risk Is Transferred: Just because you have formed a captive does not mean that the risk has been eliminated. It is important to educate owners and the C-Suite regarding best practices within the captive and discuss effective strategies when deploying their risk mitigation resources. 3. Partner With Strong Business Partners: Like all business relationships, it is important to make sure you are selecting strong partners that align with your business. Choosing the right team to be your Captive Manager can determine how effective your new risk mitigation strategy will be. These trusted relationships will play a key role in the current and future success of the program. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with David and Scott on “Understanding Captives as an Alternative.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Jennifer Wilkerson, VP of Innovations and Advancements at the National Center for Construction Education and Research or NCCER. We begin the episode by discussing Jennifer's professional career, where she started as an educator, and then transitioned to a family welding business with her husband. Eventually, Jennifer found an opportunity to combine her passion for education with the construction industry and joined NCCER where she has been able to help develop new training and education for the workforce of both today and tomorrow. Jennfier leaves our audience with three powerful takeaways with regards to the labor pipeline. 1. Shop Class is Not Dead But They Need Your Help: Look to reengage with your local high school and universities and their shop class program. There are still opportunities to connect with these programs and demonstrate a career path for those who are looking for an alternative to classroom higher education. 2. The Pendulum Has Swung Back Towards CTE: There has been a shift in our education system with a renewed focus on Career Tech Education. Don't let this opportunity pass you by, as these programs are looking for valued partners to fulfill the needs of their students. 3. Carpe Diem: We can't wait 5 more, 10 more years to address the workforce shortage. With college debt rising and society looking to reexamine potential career paths, the time has never been better to engage with your local programs. Schools, parents, and students alike are all looking for alternative solutions if college is not for them, and a career in construction could be the answer many of them are looking for. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Jennifer on “Understanding and Maximizing the Construction labor Force Pipeline” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Damien Caldwell, Co-Founder and CEO of ASG National. We begin the episode by discussing Damien's professional career, where he was able to get a diverse knowledgebase through various stakeholders of the Insurance and Technology market. Eventually, Damien met his business partner and developed ASG National to help the industry improve their data integration using a proactive management mindset. Damien leaves our audience with some great advice in his three key takeaways. 1. Take Control of Your Data: Data is the new currency which is why there are industry partners that may appear hesitant to share it. We as an industry are getting more adept at understanding the value in our captured data and it is on us to make the most of it. 2. Proactive Management: Evaluate yourself and/or your program, make sure that your focus is on being proactive. Effective Risk Managers will tell you that this is imperative in risk mitigation. If you are always putting out fires, worried about what's urgent and not what's important – you're not being proactive. Take a step back, re-evaluate and start using your data to identify patterns of failure, to help create a corrective plan to get you to where you need to be. 3. Evaluate Your Tech Needs- Crawl / Walk / Run: Whether your company is on board with investing in technology solutions or just getting into it. Successful executions require a well laid out plan. Understand your needs versus your goals or wants in your technology. Don't wait to get the Astin Martin of technology when you have an approval to get a BMW. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Damien on “Insurtech, Helping to Improve Outcomes Through Proactive Management” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Arnie Didier, Co-Founder and COO of Forest Business Network. We begin the episode by discussing Arnie's professional career, where he had great insight into the logging industry and leveraged his knowledge to grow and develop what is now an international Mass Timber Conference. We look to better understand the opportunities offered within Mass Timber and how the conference provides a multitude of tracks and education opportunities for the industry's various stakeholders. As always, our guest leaves us with their three key takeaways: 1. Sustainability: It has become clear that the need to find sustainable building practices is here to stay. There is a true need within our industry to lead by example and be part of the solution rather than being left behind waiting for someone else to lead. 2. The Numbers Need to Make Sense: The proof is in the pudding, and we now have enough completed Mass Timber structures to validate that the numbers do in fact make sense. From small developments to twenty-five story buildings, we can now point to specific examples in the market where these projects provided cost effective and desirable solutions. 3. The Only Constant is Change: Change is happening in our industry, and we see great examples of that, specifically within the residential building market. With greater market visibility and success, we believe this will continue to drive additional industry-wide changes, leading to more mass timber projects. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Bret on “Mass Timber, An Evolution In Sustainable Construction.”

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Bret Bush, Co-Founder and EVP at Insight Risk. We begin the episode by discussing Bret's professional career, where he had great exposure to the Construction Insurance Industry while working as a broker, a GC, and now as a carrier/tech. partner. We then discuss the journey that led Bret to Insight Risk, and the water mitigation technology that he and his team have created. Bret then shares some of his experience within the technology and Builders Risk Market where he leaves our audience with the following takeaways: 1. Get Ahead of Mandates: Simply put, the construction industry is looking at future legislation that will make some of these technologies mandatory and critical to your success. Look to jump ahead of your competition and explore these new technologies as an early adopter rather than a reluctant one. 2. Find a Partner: It is far easier to go down this path when you have a partner, so don't be afraid to reach out to your vendor/broker partners who could help you identify technology programs that would benefit you and your team. By utilizing this partnership, you can draw from greater experience, and leverage industry knowledge to help you be successful. 3. Try Different Technologies: There are so many different tools and systems out there right now and it's best not to put all your eggs in one basket. Do your homework and be sure to share your experience with your risk management team. This should lead you to becoming a better more self-aware insured which if communicated effectively to your broker and carrier partners could help you achieve better policy language and reduced premiums. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Bret on “Technology, Driving Change in Underwriting” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast! Links: Connect with Bret Bush View Insight Risk's website at Insight Risk Connect with Chris Epps Connect with Mike Diercksen

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Ted Way, SVP at Gallagher. We begin the episode by discussing Ted's professional career, where he had great exposure to the Insurance Industry through his father who worked in a regional brokerage. Realizing he had more to learn within insurance, Ted left the brokerage and went to work as an underwriter before he ultimately found himself at Gallaghers Construction Group in 2017. Ted then shares some of his experience within the Builders Risk Market where he leaves our audience with the following takeaways: 1. Budget Early and Budget Often: Underwriting construction projects is a fluid process and relies on a variety of factors. Don't let your budget remain stagnant when it comes to insurance. By regularly updating the budget and updating your project details, you provide the most accurate and updated information for underwriting which will enable you to receive the best possible coverage. 2. Be Precise with your Insurance Program: With Builders Risk Coverage in particular, there is an exact formula for how coverage is calculated (Total Insurable Value X Number of days). It is important to fully understand your project needs and to deploy your coverage appropriately. Starting coverage too soon or leaving it longer than necessary can significantly impact your margins, while not having coverage in place leaves your project exposed to significant risk. 3. Challenges or Opportunities: Rather than viewing the current market as a challenge, take this opportunity to connect the project team with risk management and redefine your risk mitigation process. Getting out ahead and presenting to the Insurance Market your new proactive controls in place can help change the conversation with the carrier, leading to better conversations and a more fruitful partnership. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Ted on “Overcoming Market Challenges Within Builders Risk” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Daniel Fulcher, Account Executive Director of Construction Services at Travelers. We begin the episode by discussing Daniel's professional career, where he came up through the ranks in the Surety Space specifically in the Carolinas. Roughly four and a half years ago Damiel joined the Travelers team tasked with developing PLI or “Project Loss Insurance” taking it from concept to market. It is certainly exciting times for the new product, and with that Daniel can leave our audience with some unique take aways with regards to this new line of insurance: 1. Don't Allow Yourself To Become Numb To Risk: We are all human and it is natural to get comfortable when things are going well. It is important to always keep yourself honest and fight the urge to look through some rose-colored glasses when things are going your way. 2. Project Loss Insurance Is A Resource: Like many other types of risk mitigation, Project Loss Insurance is a resource available to the market to hedge against catastrophic risk. It is best to understand all sorts of risk mitigation strategies to see what fits you and your firms needs. 3. No Such Thing As A Get Out Of Jail Free Card: Like any line of insurance, you would be ill advised to think of it as a get out of jail free card. However, nobody is perfect, and claims are a reality in the construction industry. Creating a strong partnership with your carriers to better understand your risks and develop a strategy can act as the backstop you need to avoid catastrophic loss. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Daniel on “Project Loss Insurance, what it covers and how to best utilize it” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Ryan Famularo, Head of Growth at Procore Risk Advisors. We begin the episode by discussing Ryan's professional career, where he had great exposure to the Construction Industry through AGC or the Association of General Contractors. Ryan joined Procore a little over 6 years ago and has not looked back, as he and the team developed a new path for the tech giant through insurance and risk management. Without giving away the secret sauce, Ryan is able to leave our audience with some unique take aways with regards to data aggregation and their trail blazing approach to the insurance market: 1. Leverage Your Historical Data: If you are not currently utilizing your historical data, then you are doing yourself a disservice. Firms that are using historical data are better equipped to present themselves and their best practices, removing the guesswork for the underwriters and enhancing their position in the marketplace. Bottom line, you need to leverage your data to improve your business. 2. Viewing Insurance as a Business Advantage: Many firms view insurance as a necessity and a standard process where the results are final; however, this may not be to your advantage. By taking a second look internally and utilizing your historical data you can leverage past experience to receive better terms and rates while selecting your insurance. This practice will ultimately grow your bottom line and provide a more tailored approach to your insurance needs. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Ryan on “Illuminating the Construction Insurance Market Through Data Aggregation” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Adam Stark, Co-Founder of Jet.Build. Our episode begins with Adam walking us through his career from serving in the military to joining the Construction industry. Looking for a way to streamline his systems and noticing that the challenges he faced were industry wide, Adam teamed up with his fellow Co-Founder Joseph Shua-Haim to launch Jet.Build. Adam takes us on a quick tour of the platform while helping to note all the key stakeholders who shared a role in shaping the current system. When it comes to streamlining your integration strategy, Adam leaves us with these three takeaways. 1. Company Culture Surrounding Innovation: Search internally to identify the company values or potential blind spots when it comes to technology integration. There are quality solutions out there but buy in from the top down is a key element to successful integration. 2. How To Automate Your Day to Day: Speak with your team to learn about their day to day functions. Chances are that a technology is out there that can help automate some of these tasks enabling your team to be more efficient and focused on the big picture rather than being bogged down with tedious tasks. 3. Industry Specific Tech Does Not Have to Be Complicated: It is important to recognize that there are solutions out there today that are cost effective and geared towards easy integration. Much like the cell phone we all have in our personal and professional life, there are technologies available that are intuitive and do not require significant lift to get up and running. To learn more about the Jet.Build platform and was to simplify our technology adaption, listen to our full podcast episode with Adam on “Simplifying Construction Technology Integration” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Jeff Caudill, CRIS, VP of Risk Management at The Haskell Company. We begin the episode by discussing Jeff's path from working with Toyota, and getting his feet wet in the insurance space, to eventually landing in the construction industry, bringing him to The Haskell Company. Jeff has been in the insurance space for 20-30 years now and ultimately made the move to bring The Haskell Company into a Single Parent Captive. As always, we look to provide our audience with three key takeaways and best practices and Jeff did not disappoint: 1. Patience: This is not a quick 30-day process, rather it could and should take up to 6 months. In that time, you should look to get comfortable with those who you are working with and make sure you do your homework. 2. Educate Yourself: There are plenty of pros but certainly some cons when it comes to forming a Single Parent Captive. The Best way to ultimately determine what makes the most sense for you and your firm is to really dig into the details and figure out where you can be successful. Once you do your homework and have a solid idea of what you want to accomplish you are ready to take the next step. 3. Just Do It: There are plenty of people who are afraid to take that first step but honestly what do you have to lose? I think if you are curious about captives, the best thing you can do is to dive in and learn as much as possible; you have nothing but positives to gain from exploring your options. To learn more about how you can explore Single Parent Captives to better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Jeff on “Maximizing the return on a Single Parent Captive” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Podcast: The Building BITE Episode: September 2023 U.S. Construction Outlook Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America of AGC, Ken Simonson. Throughout the episode, Ken dives into AGC's latest construction outlook and addresses hot topics in today's climate, including the labor force, wages, and bid pricing. Ken dives into several compelling statistics throughout the episode, including what he believes will be the trend to look out for as we head into 2024. To learn more about Ken's latest construction report, listen to our full podcast episode with Ken Simonson. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast! Links: Connect with Ken on LinkedIn View AGC's website at https://www.agc.org/ Connect with Chris Epps Connect with Mike Diercksen

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Tyler James, Regional Vice President of Construction Property Midwest. We begin the episode by discussing Tyler's professional career, where he quickly realized corporate finance was not for him, and instead chose the path of insurance. Tyler digs in on the evolving marketplace where things are no longer the status quo, but a unique blend of opportunity and evolution. We break the discussion down to four main areas of growth, project size, materials, scope, and occupancy. Tyler leads us through these topics and imparts his 3 main takeaways for our audience. 1. Transparency Is King: It is so important to have true collaboration between carrier and insured, and transparency is vital to this. As Tyler states, he has never seen a carrier punish their insureds for sharing more information with them; it often leads to better understanding and preferred outcomes for all parties. 2. Understanding The “Why”: Tyler always tells his team to try to understand the “why”. When the underwriters are brought up to speed and understand the needs of the insureds, it allows them to better understand the project details and write more comprehensive policies. 3. Don't Be Afraid To Pick Up The Phone: One of the best resources that insureds have is their broker and carrier, who typically have a wealth of experience for projects just like theirs. Tyler recommends insureds look to engage their brokers and carriers in a proactive way so that they can talk through any sticking points and collaborate on a resolution that will provide maximum satisfaction for all parties. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Tyler on “Accelerating Change in the Marketplace: The Evolution of Builders Risk Coverage” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Michael Pepe, Northeast Managing Partner of Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. We begin the episode by discussing Michael's path as a Construction Litigator and how he ultimately landed as the Northeast Managing Partner at Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C. Michael offers a wide array of experience and has unique insights into what makes Insureds successful when it comes to appropriately leveraging their insurance policies. Michael walks us through his best practices while explaining how insureds can use their policy to maintain project cashflow. 1. Understand your Coverage: This could mean working with Brokers or Internal Counsel depending on your firm. It is important to utilize all the resources at your disposal so that you can properly leverage your coverage. Most likely, the project team who will be triggering this coverage is not an insurance expert, this is an easy way to leverage existing experience and mitigate future issues. 2. Be Mindful of Notice Provisions: It is not enough to just know your coverage and what it would cover, a key component is the “when”. You need to understand your notice provisions as they will be the roadmap to properly executing a claim. Identifying the correct time to provide notice and when to bring in the carrier or outside help can be what makes or breaks a successful claim. 3. Train Project Teams for when Escalation is Necessary: You don't know what you don't know. As a Risk Manager or Internal Counsel, you need to prepare your project teams with instructions so that you are alerted to potential claims. Even the best process will fall short if the project team is unaware of their role and responsibility to elevate the notice internally. By providing this instruction, you are helping to remove the guess work for your team and maximize your timeline to assess and evaluate potential claims. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Michael on “How Your Insurance Policy Can Help Maintain Project Cashflow” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome our panel Jake Concannon, VP at Gallagher, Kristen Weber, SDI Underwriting Officer at Liberty Mutual, and Inga Mackereth, Corporate Insurance Manager at Hourigan Construction. We begin the episode by welcoming back our panel to the show, and encouraging our audience to check out their previous episodes on the podcast. Our guests waste no time breaking down what is identified as our three stages of a successful partnership - Implementation, Management, and Claims. From there, we get into greater detail on the nuances of making this partnership work when the panel discusses their top 3 takeaways from the experience: 1. Set a Goal: This is not a simple process, but it is important to have some internal goals and begin establishing open lines of communication with your broker and senior management. By establishing your goals for the program and displaying a commitment to the partnership necessary to achieve them, you will be well on your way to building out a successful program. 2. Take Every Opportunity to Engage: Everyone is busy and it can feel like there is not enough time in the day to get to everything. That said, when a industry partner is asking to connect and come see a jobsite, that is their way of showing interest and wanting to take that first step in building a meaningful professional relationship. Taking the time to engage early on helps build that rapport which will pay dividends down the road. 3. Engage Operations: Take time to engage with the operations and field teams within your organization. These people are serious builders and may or may not fully understand the insurance and risk management portion of the business as it is not part of their day-to-day work. That said, by engaging with these men and women you will have the opportunity to see where there may be a lapse in communication, and opportunity to provide additional training internally. To learn more about how you can collaborate and strengthen your industry partnerships, listen to our full podcast episode with our panel on “Successful Collaboration in the Construction Insurance Space” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Nate Fuller, Founder and Director at Placer Solutions in. We begin the episode by discussing Nate's path from his experience at Bechtel, and what drew him to the field of innovation and technology for the Construction Industry. Nate credits most of this to being at the right place at the right time, as he was present in San Francisco when Bechtel began to push for greater innovation. Nate informs us about his process and how Placer Solutions is looking to better connect our thought leaders, and as always gives our listeners three excellent takeaways and best practices: 1. Understanding your field team: Understanding your field team should always be the first order of business and your top priority when rolling out new innovations and processes. “The field is where the money is won or lost” as Nate says, and if we do not fully understand the people in these roles, it is likely that the process and technology will fall flat and be limited in its impact. 2. Understanding the needs of these teams will change: Nothing about the construction industry is stagnant, and the needs of these teams are likely to change over time and from project to project. It can become a bit of a moving target when it comes to successful implementation, but understanding these nuances are key to success. 3. Map Technology to Your People, Not People to Technology: A key factor that is often overlooked, is making sure you are fitting the technology to your team and their needs, and not overhauling internally to fit the technology. There can be a lot to get excited about with the technology, but the most successful teams have to maintain focus on keeping their personnel front and center to maximize the technology, and not the other way around. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Nate on “Construction Innovation, Creating a Pathway to Success” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Josh Levy, Co-Founder and CEO of Document Crunch. We begin the episode by discussing Josh's path from University of Florida, where he understood he was less of a brick-and-mortar type construction professional, and more into the business of construction. Josh led a successful career and ultimately found himself inundated with contract review and questions while operating as in house counsel for a large GC in the Southeast. Josh was able to collaborate and co-create Document Crunch to empower the industry, and as always gives our listeners three excellent takeaways and best practices for how to better understand your contracts: 1. The contract does not have to be a black box: There is no need to treat the contract as this quagmire, we should instead be empowering our team to better understand them so they can help make informed decisions and protect the companies bottom line. 2. Data can be used to drive good decisions: We have gotten to a place where we have enough accumulated data to be able to use that knowledge to guide our decision making process. As Josh says, “Tomorrow starts today” and firms should be looking to leverage this information to enhance their current situation and lead them into the future. 3. We have an opportunity to transform the industry: There is a proliferation of technology and solutions now that have the ability to transform the construction industry. As leaders, we are charged with taking our industry from a place of being a bottom two digitized industry to one that is a more advanced and innovative space. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Nate on “Empowering Everyone In Our Industry to Understand Their Contacts” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Milena Russo, Associate at AXA XL's Construction Eco System. We begin the episode by discussing what drew Milena to the Insurance industry, eventually landing her at the AXA XL Construction Ecosystem. From there, Milena helps us to understand the connection between the innovative process and the underwriting team. While diving into our topic of bridging the gap between underwriting and technology, Milena gives our listeners three excellent takeaways and best practices when partnering innovation with underwriting: 1. First and foremost, it is about being a partner in risk: Good relationships require give and take, and the ecosystem is a great way for us to be more than just a carrier who pays claims. By taking on this partnership, both parties are engaging in the risk, and growing together through the project. 2. These solutions are tailor made: The current market is robust but can sometimes leave insureds feeling like they are being “broad brushed” with their coverage. What this process ultimately does is allow us to take a deeper dive with the insureds and create a tailored approach which is designed to maximize the way they do business. 3. The end goal is for sustainable growth: The goal is all about helping our contractors to become more proficient, moving forward into the future. Taking the time to invest in your risk and identify unique solutions is essential when growing the business sustainably and provides a win-win solution. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Milena on “Bridging the Gap Between Underwriting and Technology” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome back Rose Hall, VP and head of Construction Innovation at AXA XL, and new guest Cutler Knupp, Managing Director of Dysruptek. We begin the episode by discussing what initially drew each of our guests into the world of construction, with a focus on the technology and innovation side of the industry. It is a great discussion filled with problem solving and opportunity, featuring two different stakeholders coming together to solve complex industry issues. While there are many dynamic take aways from the conversation, Rose and Cutler give our listeners three key takeaways and best practices when looking to “Demystify Advanced Technology”: 1. You don't know unless you try: Embrace the change! Historically our industry has been slow to adopt, but Cutler argues the cost of inaction is greater than the commitment to technological advancement. While there are inherent growing pains associated with this, it is best to “fail often and fail fast” as your company learns to navigate what works best for them. 2. Have a dedicated Innovation leader: It is imperative that you look to not only create a dedicated seat within the C-Suit for Innovation, but that you provide that person with adequate support from within. Having the proper mind set to align your risk, business, and innovation strategy is the only way to move forward successfully. 3. Look internally first: By starting with the hard questions and identifying internal issues that could be the most impactful for your firm. Try and identify these issues and if there are dedicated resources either internally or externally, and then initiate that conversation to see what could be done. Even the most advanced solutions begin with a first step, and this would be the ideal first step when looking to innovate. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges and innovating opportunities ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Tracy on “Demystifying Advanced Technology” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Tracy Saxe, President at SDV Law in Trumbull CT. We begin the episode by discussing Tracy's path to Insurance Law and what drew him to the field. Realizing how complex this area of law was, and the unique challenges that each project would present, Tracy was driven to open his own firm, SDV Law. Operating on a national scale, SDV employs 50 lawyers and specializes in representing policyholders in insurance coverage disputes. While diving into our topic, Tracy gives our listeners three excellent takeaways and best practices when exploring Builders Risk Coverage: 1. If a claim occurs, get off email and stop finger pointing: Rather than begin with finger pointing, look to process the first party claim, get the money to help rectify the issue, and then figure out if there even is a need to pursue further action. Sending emails and prematurely issuing blame can lead to potential exclusions in the policy and create larger problems down the road. 2. In the event of a new claim, treat this as a new project: When a claim occurs, make sure your team is prepped and ready to treat the project as a brand new one. The events of the claim may drastically impact the way in which you have to operate to complete the project, and your billing codes should be updated accordingly to reflect those changes. 3. Assemble your entire team pre-loss: If you are going to have an outside expert either for scheduling, quantification, engineering etc. It is important to not only identify this team, but to consistently use this team to help build familiarity among the parties. This will allow for improved coordination and expedite the mitigation efforts for the insured. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Tracy on “A Focus on Builders Risk, From a Legal Perspective” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Eric Anderton, Executive Coach and host of Podcast, Construction Genius. We begin the episode by discussing Eric's path to Construction. Beginning his career in sales, Eric eventually connected with a leadership development program before venturing out on his own. While Eric never worked in the industry directly, he felt a connection to the builders and has continued to expand his network within the Construction space. When diving into our topic, Eric gives our listeners three excellent takeaways and best practices when leading a team: 1. Never Settle: Like that of a GM in any major sports league, companies must always be looking to develop and improve their team. By never settling, you are constantly looking to help enhance your current team, while always keeping an eye on the market to find opportunities to bring in people who can improve areas of weakness within the firm. 2. Importance of 1-to-1 meetings: If you want to develop your team and improve communication, you MUST have 1 on 1 discussions. Utilizing tactics like setting an agenda and empowering them to bring both challenges they have or ideas to enhance the internal process are key. Eric sets the scene as an oasis of development and conversation for your team, refreshing and encouraging them as they continue their path through the project lifecycle. 3. Incorporate EAR framework every day: You must be able to every day put your arm around your team and encourage them (E) telling them “You can do it”. Additionally, you must look to hold your team accountable (A), and confirm “did you, do it?”. Lastly, you must recognize (R) them, “you did it!”. To learn more about how you can create a leadership culture where you never settle, listen to our full podcast episode with Eric on “Never Settling” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Sarah Carson, Partner at Smith Currie here in Raleigh NC. We open our episode by discussing Sarah's path to construction law and what drew her to the field. Realizing how complex this area of law was, and the unique challenges that each project would present, Sarah was quick to dive in and begin learning as much as possible. Now an accomplished attorney and a leader in legal issues impacting the construction industry, Sarah leads the local Raleigh, North Carolina office for Smith Currie and also practices in Georgia and DC. While diving into our topic, Sarah gives our listeners excellent takeaways and action items regarding the best practices when looking to expand business operations into new states and territories: 1. Don't Underestimate Your Ability to Succeed in a New Market: It can be scary to take on the risk of expansion, but now there are plenty of tools to help make that transition a successful one. The opportunity is there and can be a real launch point for companies in the construction industry to thrive. Sarah discusses these innovations and the opportunities for success. 2. Understand the Where, Why, and When: Decisions like these do not happen in a vacuum, and should be done after detailed planning and assessment. Take the time to really dig into where you want to expand and why you believe the market will lead to success. Most importantly is the “when”. As Sarah mentions, you need to be dialed in and understand the proper timing both from an internal standpoint for licensing and as well as dialed in to the current needs of that market and future opportunities within. 3. Be an Active Participant in Your Companies Growth: It is not enough to just do your research and make the jump to a new market, there needs to be a commitment to the process. Constantly looking to better understand the complexities of your new market and maintaining a working knowledge of the active and pending laws is an ongoing endeavor and is crucial to success. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Sarah on “How to Successfully Grow Your Business Into Different States.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Paul Primavera (EVP), Matt Goss (SVP, Strategic Lead), and Tom Hester (SVP) of Lockton Companies. We start our episode with Paul Primavera as he discusses the recent 2022 Construction Design & Outlook Report. With some critical advice and areas to focus on, Paul transitions to a focus on Builders Risk, where we are introduced to Matt and Tom. From there, Matt and Tom provides us with some background on themselves and the unique opportunity they had to recognize an area of need and develop a great program to benefit their insureds. While discussing today's topic, Matt and Tom leave our listeners with some excellent takeaways regarding Builders Risk and some innovative solutions to the problems currently facing the market: 1. Need to get ahead of development strategy: A lot of what we are seeing is directly correlated to the Real Estate Boom, and it tells us that Developers are poised with robust pipelines right now. Now more than ever, we advise our clients to take the time to analyze the different risks concerning their target projects and get ahead of potential issues. 2. Control: With the market currently dealing with a wide array of issues due to inflation, it's imperative to control internal processes and stay ahead of the curve. Working with your broker to leverage existing relationships within the market may provide the financial stability needed to maintain projects and avoid bringing in outside parties late in the game. 3. Need to align the risk to actual coverage: We know clients want to keep moving forward and build, but it is essential to periodically pump the breaks to ensure we align risk with coverage. By identifying your project risk accurately, we can avoid potential oversights in coverage that might hurt the balance sheet later in the project in case of a claim. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Paul, Matt, and Tom, “A Construction Outlook in 2022, with a Deeper Dive into Builders Risk.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Podcast: The Building BITE Episode: “How to Identify and rectify bad contract language” Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Alexis Bradshaw, SVP of Construction Casualty at Marsh in NYC. Alexis starts by sharing her professional career and how her career journey took a unique turn, from working in political strategies and campaigns to contractors and ultimately ending up working for various Brokers throughout the construction/insurance industry. Alexis continued to learn and grow professionally and eventually found herself as an SVP within Marsh's Construction Casualty Group. With a desire for knowledge, Alexis is passionate about educating other professionals about her industry and being a valuable resource to clients and peers. While discussing today's topic, Alexis leaves our listeners with some excellent takeaways regarding their contracts and some best practices: 1. Don't leave insurance coverage and negotiations to the end: You can't assume that there is no bad contract language; it is out there! By bringing your Broker into the fold when crafting the insurance clause of the contract, you can alleviate future pitfalls. Brokers may be able to assist and offer alternative solutions to issues that would allow you to avoid further negotiations. 2. You may need to negotiate at a higher level as far as risk transfer is concerned: There is value in experience, and while project teams have varying degrees of expertise, it is wise to lean on the wisdom of your trusted advisors. Bringing in your Broker and allowing them to review contract language that might be too generic will enable them to provide value and detail out project-specific needs at a higher level. 3. Make sure to give your Broker the full contract: It is imperative that the Broker receive the full contract, as this will help provide additional context that enhances the Brokers impact on the process. Additionally, this will help clarify responsibilities within the contract and remove any ambiguity down the road. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Alexis Bradshaw, “How to Identify and rectify bad contract language.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Allison Nichols, Director of Standards and Compliance for Facilities Operations and Planning at the University of Miami. Allison starts us off by sharing her professional career and how her career journey can be broken down into thirds working with Contractors, Owners, and Program managers/ Developers. Through all these experiences, Allison has continuously learned and grew as a professional and ultimately followed her passion. Ultimately, Allison shares how her journey has led her to the University of Miami, where she can incorporate all she has learned in managing projects to drive the university forward. While discussing her path, Allison leaves our listeners with some excellent takeaways regarding their careers: 1. Be Passionate About Whatever You Choose to do: This is the number one thing when making a career decision. So much time is spent developing and learning the skills of your desired trade that it is critical you have a solid connection to the field. As Allison was drawn to Engineering, she enjoyed spending time learning and growing, which would have been made much more difficult had she not found a deep passion for it. 2. Be Transparent: Be willing to share with others! The more you can be transparent and communicate with people, the more they can share with you. By creating these types of bonds and relationships, you will get increased exposure to new and exciting thoughts while benefitting yourself and those around you. 3. Be Resourceful, Flexible, and Inquisitive: Many people leave school and are not very assertive when finding their way professionally. Just because you are new or young does not mean that you cannot ask questions of those around you! Showing that inquisitive side is a great way to demonstrate a willingness to learn which, opening many doors for you professionally. The exposure that comes as a byproduct of these questions and opportunities will help to fuel your career! To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Allison Nichols, Lifelong Learning, Finding Your Passion to Build a Career. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE host Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcomes Parker Mundt, Operating Director for Suffolk Technologies, and the Managing Director of their Boost Program. Parker starts us off by sharing his professional career and his road to his current position within Suffolk Technologies. Starting as a “Career Start,” Parker was exposed to several sides of the construction industry. He worked as a Project Engineer, Superintendent, and project manager while working on one of the larger projects in Boston. A few years into his tenure with Suffolk, Parker was offered the opportunity to work within a new team of Suffolk Technologies and act as the connecting bridge from the Suffolk Construction Team and helped drive Suffolk Technologies on where to invest and helping to add value to all stakeholders. From there, Parker proceeds to identify his three main takeaways on closing the gaps within quality management: 1. Innovation in the Construction industry requires buy-in and absolute alignment across stakeholders: Rarely are all the various stakeholders, such as Insurance Carriers, Architects, Engineers, and the clients, perfectly aligned. That is how the Boost program came to be, as it provides an opportunity to generate some equity early in the project. Once that has been deposited into the project, it creates a greater sense of purpose, enhancing alignment. 2. Learn to fail fast: We have seen many companies face hardships and be forced to make difficult decisions early on. When you can assess the situation quickly and understand that you may not be able to achieve your goal, shutting the project down quickly provides the ability to innovate and try something new given what you have learned. 3. Reverse Mentorship: Be open to learning in a variety of ways. While there are great lessons to be learned from traditional mentorship, we often find that younger professionals who may be more inclined to challenge the status quo may offer a different viewpoint, leading to unique solutions. These types of new questions and thoughts will be what help drive the construction industry forward! To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Parker Mundt, Innovation in Construction Technology, The Boost Program. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Podcast: The Building BITE Episode: Closing the Gaps in Quality Management Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, PSP, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Chris Heider, Risk Engineer for Cove Programs, specifically in their Subcontractor Default Insurance (SDI) group. Chris starts us off by sharing his professional career and the road he took to his current position with the Optio Group, the parent organization for Cove Programs. After spending 12+ years working for a mid-sized GC in Central Ohio, Chris was recruited away from the field by Zurich to work as a Casualty Risk Engineer. While at Zurich, Chris was introduced to SDI coverage (known at Zurich as Subguard) and grew very comfortable with that space, which allowed him to maximize his construction operations background. Now at Cove, Chris specializes in his field and assists all Cove Insureds through their SDI Program needs. From there, Chris proceeds to identify his three main takeaways on closing the gaps within quality management: 1. The Need for Formal Programming and Executive Commitments: While there are seven key elements noted in Chris' call for formal programming, the internal executive champion is a key piece. This person will help own the process and help enact the designated plan, ensuring that all parties are meeting the program's mission statement and overall objective. 2. Establish Testing and Inspections: While it is essential to have your plan and a committed leadership team, how you can evaluate the effectiveness of that plan is equally crucial. Defining clear and established testing procedures allows the process to be more efficient and creates a more uniform approach that will yield repeatable processes which should improve the data. 3. Keep an Open Mind: Teams have plenty of opportunities to become better and constantly reevaluate their internal processes and offerings. By staying dialed in and continually looking to improve, GCs can continue to close the gap within their quality management process. To learn more about how you can better prepare your firm for the challenges ahead, listen to our full podcast episode with Chris Heider, Closing the Gaps in Quality Management. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, PSP, LEED AP and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Adam Denno of Willis Towers Watson's Default Insurance Group (DIG). Adam leads off by sharing his professional growth and early interest within the data and analytics space, which eventually led him to the construction industry and the Con-Tech Insurance space. Then, equipped with significant resources within the DIG team, Adam expands upon his desire to dig deeper into the data and help his Insureds be better positioned to grow with the evolving market needs and opportunities that this data provides. Diving into the topic at hand, Adam proceeds to identify his three takeaways on maximizing the effect of qualitative and quantitative data: 1. Access to Accurate Data is Critical: In this ever-expanding world of data and analytics, it is not just about how much data you can collect but what data you are collecting. These expanding opportunities are key to the industry's growth; however, if you are not careful, you can dilute their impact by not identifying and focusing on the best for your business. 2. Technology is Evolving: Evolving technology will only continue to expand the universe of what we can track and integrate into our risk models. Keeping an open mind to new solutions or technologies will better equip you to keep pace with your competition. 3. Invest in People – Leading Contractors, Brokers, and Carriers invest in People, Programs, and Processes to ensure timely access to data and resulting analytics. Data is great, but firms are likely to struggle with their data implementation without the right team in place to monitor and implement that data in a meaningful way. This is also a way to level the playing field for smaller to mid-sized firms, as deploying the right team creates a more agile approach and can give you the advantage when bidding for work. To learn more about planning for success, listen to our full podcast episode with Adam Denno, Yielding Positive Results in the Industry Through Qualitative and Quantitative data. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast! Links: Connect with Adam on LinkedIn View Willis's website at Willis Towers Watson Connect with Mike Diercksen

Podcast: The Building BITE Episode: Infrastructure, How to Plan for Success Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Valerie Bono and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome David Farino, CPCU, ARM, and AVP of NFP's Construction Brokerage Group. David begins by sharing his journey beginning with his background. His background started in banking and eventually led him to underwriting where he now serves as a leader of the construction group of NFP. David has leaned on previous experience, which is paying dividends for his Insureds as he has been able to guide them through the ins and outs of bidding on civil work. As the son of a of a Service-Disabled Veteran, David takes tremendous pride in helping small minority-owned businesses earn these civil contracts. Diving into the topic at hand, David proceeds to lay out his take on infrastructure projects and how to best prepare for them. 1. Not All Opportunity is Good Opportunity: David emphasizes the importance of looking at each opportunity individually and making sure you take the time to manage these situations effectively. Being more selective and really finding ideal partnerships and opportunities will allow for sustained and scalable growth. 2. Be Proactive: Rather than reacting to the situations at hand, begin to look ahead and develop a plan for identifying what work fits their skill set the best. Insureds are better positioned to stay within their wheelhouse and find success by creating a plan and sticking to it. 3. Take Time to Assess Your Capabilities: You must look within to see if your organization is prepared to meet the Owners' expectations and drive value upstream. Asking questions such as, “Do we have the controls in place to meet our contractual obligations”? Or, “Is our current subcontractor pool deep enough to fulfill these needs?” Finding the right partnerships can help to alleviate some of these concerns and provide valuable experience for Insureds as they continue to grow. To learn more about planning for success, listen to our full podcast episode with David Farino, Infrastructure, How to Plan for Success. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Podcast: The Building BITE Episode: Fact or Fiction, Supply Chain Disruption is a Covid Problem Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast, as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Valerie Bono and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Cheri Hanes, AVP, Risk Engineering Team Leader for AXA XL. We open the show by welcoming back our first repeat guest in the newly appointed Risk Engineering Team Leader for AXA XL, Cheri Hanes. After connecting with Cheri on her new appointment and responsibilities, we revisit her background, where we learn about her operations experience and her passion for subcontractor default work. For a deeper dive into Cheri and her background, please visit Season 1, 5 Considerations for Mass Timber Construction with Cheri Hanes. Diving into the topic at hand, Cheri proceeds to share her take on whether or not supply chain disruption is in fact strictly a covid problem, and some tips on how to prepare for supply chain issues. 1. Take charge of the big picture: The number one piece of advice is to put someone or a team in charge so that they can get their arms around the big picture. This will allow for the team to strive towards continuous improvement and adaptation where necessary. 2. Stay in your sweet spot: If Builders make an effort to do work that is within their “sweet spots” for owners who are collaborative and reasonable, they have a better chance of being successful. 3. Don't be too quick to default or terminate: Really think strategically about what that will do to your situation. These issues are complex, and you may run around in circles looking for an alternative supplier. To learn more about these observations with an industry expert, listen to our full podcast episode with Cheri Hanes, Fact or Fiction: Supply Chain Disruption is a Covid Problem. Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!

Podcast: The Building BITE Episode: Sustainability, and 3 ways Sustainability is Building Momentum in the Construction Industry Please tune in to this episode of The Building BITE Podcast as we hear from industry experts about key topics to help you be successful. The Building BITE hosts Chris Epps, PSP, LEED AP, and Mike Diercksen, CRIS, welcome Patrick McBride, Head of Construction Property at Zurich North America along with David Edsey, Climate Director, and VP with Zurich North America. We open the show with David and Patrick giving us an overview of their careers before jumping right into our content-rich episode with these two experts. Throughout our conversation, Patrick and David lay out their take on the state of the market as the momentum continues to build. Some key takeaways: 1. Driving Forces: A key factor when discussing the driving change for sustainability in the construction industry comes from the bottom line. It is becoming more common to see contractual obligations introduced on projects, with contractors being told they must commit to specific metrics to build for that owner/company. 2. Regulation and Public Opinion: Another critical element to the push for sustainability comes from what many view as the consumer's growing preference for green companies, and future legislation that would penalize companies for not building sustainably. This has a trickledown effect as many corporate customers are mandated to implement these strategies in their supply chain regardless of whether they are publicly or privately held. 3. Alternative Resources becoming more available: With case studies suggesting that 50% of emissions come from embodied carbon associated with construction, new materials and methods are becoming more popular, more available and more cost efficient. Whole-building Designs such as Mass Timber structures are entering the market at an elevated rate, along with alternative materials in cement, such as fly ash and slag, which can significantly reduce the embodied carbon content of concrete. To learn more about these topics through the lens of our experts, listen to our full podcast episode with Patrick McBride and David Edsey, “Sustainability, and 3 ways Sustainability is Building Momentum in the Construction Industry.” Please like, share, and subscribe to this podcast!