Podcasts about AECOM

Today's guest is Chris Milligan, and Entrepreneur and Investor based in London. We are proud to also have Chris as a shareholder, investor, and venture partner at Tribe Global Ventures. Fresh out of university at QUT, Chris founded Adepto, a B2B SaaS HR platform. In 2015, Chris participated in an early version of Tribe's UK mission and relocated to London five months later, raising a Seed round from UK investors and establishing Adepto in Europe. With teams in both Brisbane and London, Chris continued to scale Adepto, raising further capital and working with global customers, including PwC, Cisco, AECOM, and BAE Systems. In 2019, Adepto was acquired by the US learning platform Degreed, where Chris joined the leadership team and supported a $150 million Series D. Since leaving Degreed in 2022 and still based in London, Chris founded Konfir, an instant employment and income verification solution built on banking, payroll, and tax data. Having raised £3.6m in Pre-seed and Seed funding from UK angels and VCs, Konfir is on track to become the go-to solution for UK verifications. Chris is a passionate supporter of Venture Capital and has invested in and advised over 15 early-stage tech companies in both Australia and overseas. He frequently visits Australia, blending his expertise and experience to support emerging entrepreneurs. hello@tribeglobal.vc

Today's Full Court Finance at Zacks dives into two highly-ranked Zacks stocks—Quanta Services and AECOM—to buy and hold for long-term growth across infrastructure spending, AI data center expansion, the energy transition, onshoring, and beyond. (0:15) - The Ultimate Wall Street Megatrend Investors Can't Afford to Miss (4:20) - Top Stock Picks To Keep On Your Portfolio Watchlist (13:30) - Episode Roundup: Podcast@Zacks.com

We're back in Seville at the 2025 ITS European Congress for a bonus Highways Voices today, hearing how UK-based SMEs made a global impact by working with the Department for Transport on the UK Pavilion.As we hear content we didn't have time to share last week, you'll also learn from SWARCO how cutting-edge VR tools are reducing the need for on-site technical deployment and enabling collaborative problem-solving across borders.Subscribe to Highways Voices free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or Pocket Casts and never miss an episode!We talk to Acusensus about the real-world impact of AI safety tech, and from ERTICO on enhancing data sharing between vehicles and authorities to earn higher Euro NCAP ratings. You'll also hear about two future World Congresses, in the American city of Atlanta and when the UK hosts it in Birmingham in just over two years' time.Tap play now to find out how your organisation can adopt these breakthrough technologies and prepare for these game-changing events.In case you missed them, we brought you a huge amount of important details of the high level summit, press conference and a visit to a cutting-edge Amazon facility, innovating companies on the UK Pavilion in our "pitwalk", and a panel discussion from keynote-quality speakers on borderless travel and international standards.The UK Pavilion's participants were (in alphabetical order): AECOM, AGD Systems, Agilysis, AIM, ANGOKA, Immense, MAV, Nicander, Now Wireless, Teragence, VESOS and WJ.Highways Voices is brought to you with our partners the Transport Technology Forum,

In this episode of Your Drone Questions. Answered, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Matt Nanney from AECOM to explore real-world examples of complex drone operations and how to effectively manage their unique challenges.Matt shares valuable insights from his 16+ years of experience, covering a wide range of advanced drone missions—from post-hurricane damage assessments and rare species habitat mapping to large-scale corridor projects and BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations. Learn how his team tackles regulatory hurdles, coordinates with multiple agencies, and overcomes obstacles in tough environments like dense forests, disaster zones, and nighttime conditions.Whether you're interested in environmental surveys, infrastructure inspections, or long-range mapping missions, this episode is packed with practical advice on planning, safety, and creative problem-solving in complex drone workflows.

In this special episode of KP Unpacked, the number podcast in AEC, Jeff Echols sits down with Hope Alexander, senior advisor at KP Reddy Co., to spotlight the one voice often missing in AEC innovation: the owner. From her days helping grow a startup into a 2,000-person firm (later acquired by AECOM) to building BIM with Frank Gehry, Hope's career has centered around understanding what owners actually need—and why the AEC industry keeps missing the mark.You'll hear about:Why owners are the most important (and overlooked) force in AEC innovationThe hard truths behind BIM adoption and why owners hesitatedHow Hope and KP plan to fix that with the Integrated Owners ForumWhat research is uncovering about industry gaps—and what's nextA hot take on AI, decision fatigue, and the leadership vacuum in large capital projectsIf you're in AEC, emerging tech, or real estate, this is a must-listen. Because if you're not talking to owners, you're missing half the story.Ignite what's nextWe're launching something new... It's called Catalyst.It's a space for AEC forward-thinkers are reimagining what's next. This is where the top minds in the industry are sharing ideas, leading change, and pushing the future of AEC forward. Sounds like you? Join the waitlist at https://kpreddy.co/Check out one of our Catalyst conversation starters, AEC Needs More High-Agency ThinkersHope to see you there!

We promise you keynote speaker-quality content on Highways Voices and today we have five keynote speaker-quality guests, as we bring you a recording of a panel discussion on the UK Pavilion at the ITS European Congress in Seville.Subscribe to Highways Voices free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or Pocket Casts and never miss an episode!We're talking international standards and how to make sure transport technology works cross-border with out guests which include three CEOs, Joost Vantomme of ERTICO – ITS Europe, LCRIG's Paula Claytonsmith and Max Sugarman from ITS UK, plus Danial Naqvi, Head of Opportunities Policy, Connected Vehicles Unit, International Vehicle Standards at the UK Department for Transport and David Laoide-Kemp, Chair of ITS Ireland and Senior Engineer - Intelligent Transport Systems at Transport Infrastructure Ireland.The UK Pavilion's participants are (in alphabetical order): AECOM, AGD Systems, Agilysis, AIM, ANGOKA, Immense, MAV, Nicander, Now Wireless, Teragence, VESOS and WJ.In the podcast you'll learn how UK and EU authorities are collaborating to overcome technical, political, and cultural hurdles to achieve interoperability, discover practical examples of how seamless data sharing is already improving travel and transport across the Northern Ireland border and get insights into how SMEs and local authorities can directly influence international transport policy and standards—without being drowned out by major players.So press play now to find out why interoperability and standardisation Are crucial for seamless transport, how local and national governance complexities affect implementation and that empowering SMEs and broadening industry influence Is essential.Highways Voices is brought to you with our partners the Transport Technology Forum,

On today's Highways Voices you'll learn about solar-powered surveillance, AI-driven traffic modelling, ghost plate detection and lots of other technologies helping transform our highways.We're on the UK Pavilion at the ITS European Congress in Seville talking about innovations being showcased by a range of UK SMEs that are tackling the daily challenges we face.Subscribe to Highways Voices free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts or Pocket Casts and never miss an episode!Whether it's avoiding gridlock from mismanaged roadworks or combatting the rise in fraudulent number plates, these technologies are not just promising—they're in action.Host Paul Hutton tours the Pavilion to talk to Immense, Now Wireless, AECOM, ITS UK, AGD Systems/MAV, Nicander, Agilysis, AIM, WJ, VESOS and The ITS World Congress 2027.You'll hear how AI-powered simulation tools are helping authorities prevent traffic jams before they happens, learn how new structural monitoring and drone-assisted asset management systems are saving millions and preventing closures and, of course, hear how global ITS partnerships are positioning the UK as a leader ahead of the 2027 World Congress in Birmingham—and what that means for your future projects.Hit play now to hear firsthand how tomorrow's highway solutions are already driving results across the UK and beyond.Highways Voices is brought to you with our partners the Transport Technology Forum, LCRIG, ADEPT and ITS UK.

In this episode of the Interlinks podcast, we talk to three special guests in relation to an exciting new European project that is currently underway sponsored by CEDR (the Conference of the European Directors of Roads) that is focused on developing recommendations for policies in relation to Intelligent Access to the road networks of Europe.Our guests today are:Paul Davison, Associate Director at AECOM, based in Stockport, United KingdomStefan Jacobsson, Research Manager at Consenso Engineering, based in Gothenburg, SwedenVardhman Lunkar, Transport Planning Consultant and Researcher at TRT in Milan, ItalyWe explore the concept of Intelligent Access—a forward-thinking approach aimed at aligning the capabilities of road freight vehicles with the conditions and limitations of specific road segments to ensure safer, more efficient transport across Europe.This vital work is being carried out by a specialist consortium known as ISAC (Intelligent Access Surface Community), which brings together leading experts in road transport, logistics, infrastructure, and supply chain management. The initiative is backed by five European countries: the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Ireland. The consortium is led by global engineering firm AECOM, and all of our guests are directly involved in this pioneering effort.In our conversation, we dive into what Intelligent Access really means, its potential to transform road freight and infrastructure use across Europe, and how emerging technologies like automation and digitisation are shaping the future of transport policy. We also look at the practical challenges of implementing IA schemes across borders and jurisdictions.If you're interested in the future of mobility, transport innovation, or how smart policy can reshape Europe's road networks, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Tune in now to hear directly from the experts driving this change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're joined by Chelsea Burkett, Deputy Program Director with AECOM[00:01:13] Meet Chelsea BurkettChelsea introduces her role with Aecom and the scope of Austin ISD's massive bond program.[00:02:29] GMP 101A foundational look at GMP pricing and how it supports collaborative delivery models.[00:03:37] Early GC InvolvementWhy selecting general contractors early creates synergy and reduces surprises.[00:05:23] Community-Driven Design = Scope Creep?How community input shapes schools—and complicates budgets.[00:06:38] What's in a GMP?Chelsea walks through what the contract amendment includes and how it's executed.[00:08:49] Staying in BudgetThe bond book, voter expectations, and how cost alignment is maintained.[00:11:13] Supply Chain ChaosMaterial pricing, long lead times, and how GCs manage risk today.[00:15:24] The Open Book AdvantageFull transparency into sub bids, contingencies, and value engineering.[00:17:02] The Grading GameHow GCs and subs are evaluated—points, interviews, and all.[00:20:28] Risk, Clarifications & AllowancesUnpacking who owns what risk in complex multi-GMP projects.[00:24:07] Liquidated Damages & DeadlinesWhy hitting school opening day is non-negotiable—and risky.[00:30:12] The Art of NegotiationNavigating owner–GC–architect dynamics for long-term project health.[00:34:08] Tariffs & Steel ShockwavesThe ripple effects of global politics on your jobsite.[00:36:09] Fee StrategyHow GCs compete on cost and credentials—and when they ask for more.[00:37:03] Chelsea's Pain PointsWhy early communication is everything in GMP negotiations.[00:41:19] Use the PMIS!Advice to subs: use project management systems to get seen and heard.[00:43:14] People MatterHow staffing and turnover shape success across multiple projects.[00:46:00] Smart Strategy ≠ Low BidThe delicate dance of rewarding excellence while staying fair.[00:48:35] Megaphone MomentChelsea's call to the industry: prioritize relationships over ego.Go build something awesome!CHECK OUT THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE OUR SHOW POSSIBLE: https://www.brospodcast.com/partnersFIND US ONLINE: -Our website: https://www.brospodcast.com -LinkedIn:   / constructionbrospodcast   -Instagram:   / constructionbrospodcast    -TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@constructionbrothers?lang=en-Eddie on LinkedIn:   / eddie-c-057b3b11   -Tyler on LinkedIn:   / tylerscottcampbell  If you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

#aectech #innovation

  The Green Impact Report Quick take: Legendary software CEO Dave Lemont reveals how Acelab is transforming sustainable building by creating the industry's first comprehensive material decision-making platform, bringing AI-powered intelligence to material selection. Meet Your Fellow Sustainability Champion Dave Lemont brings to Acelab more than three decades of experience in scaling software companies across various industries. He has held five CEO roles and ten board member positions. Throughout his career, Lemont has launched, grown, and guided numerous software companies from inception through dramatic growth and success. He is an expert in identifying industry-changing ideas and building winning go-to-market strategies.  He was CEO of Revit Technology, leading the company through its successful 2002 acquisition by Autodesk. Architecture practices currently using Acelab's platform include well-known firms such as AECOM, Gensler, and SOM. Acelab's product database boasts over 39,000 products across categories such as windows, doors, cladding, roofing, and insulation.

Is the construction industry drowning in information overload? In another episode live from Advancing Prefab 2025, Todd sits down with Michael Warren, an industry veteran with 32+ years of experience spanning design, construction, and manufacturing. Michael shares how his multi-disciplinary background helped him break down industry silos and rethink traditional workflows.

I'm not a financial advisor; Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Has your business been impacted by the recent fires? Apply now for a chance to receive one of 10 free tickets to SuperCrowdLA on May 2nd and 3rd and gain the tools to rebuild and grow!Devin: What is your superpower?Corey: I like to call it artistic engineering. I have a background in music–classically trained in violin and viola–and that informs the way I go about some of the more technical things I do. It opens me up to endless possibilities.Sustainable living shouldn't be a luxury—it should be the standard. That's the driving philosophy behind Corey Johnson's innovative real estate development project, NEIGHBR. Corey, the founder and CEO of NEIGHBR, is pioneering a bold new approach to housing that integrates sustainability, affordability, and a resort-style community experience."We like to build spaces that positively impact our community and really serve as a prototype for the future of sustainable living," Corey told me in this episode. His development firm isn't just creating housing—it's showcasing what's possible when cutting-edge technology, biophilic design, and eco-conscious infrastructure come together.At the heart of NEIGHBR's vision is an eco-village concept that fuses sustainability with affordability. The project features tiny homes, geodomes, on-site farming, and commercial spaces, all built with renewable energy sources and water conservation systems. “We're using solar, geothermal, rainwater harvesting, on-site composting, and a farmhouse that fosters a circular economy,” Corey explained.What makes NEIGHBR truly unique is its reimagining of financial accessibility in housing. By leveraging investment crowdfunding, Corey is inviting everyday people to be part of the journey from the very beginning. “What I love about this approach is that it allows people to feel like they've been along for the journey,” he said. “I like to believe that those early investors will really be some of our earliest residents.”NEIGHBR is currently raising capital through Funding Hope, an investment platform aligned with the United Nations' sustainable development goals. For Corey, choosing Funding Hope was intentional: “We're after positively impacting the climate. We're about making people better. And Funding Hope shares that mission.”The first NEIGHBR eco-village will take root in Atlanta, Georgia, with plans for rapid expansion nationwide. With a vision to scale sustainable communities across the country, Corey and his team are laying the foundation for a new model of housing—one that isn't just environmentally responsible but also socially transformative.To learn more about NEIGHBR and explore investment opportunities, visit s4g.biz/neighbr.tl;dr:* Corey Johnson's NEIGHBR project is reimagining sustainable housing with eco-friendly, affordable, and community-focused designs.* NEIGHBR integrates renewable energy, biophilic architecture, and financial accessibility to create resort-style eco-villages.* Corey leverages investment crowdfunding through Funding Hope, inviting the public to participate in the project's growth.* Corey's superpower, "artistic engineering," blends technical precision with creative vision to build transformative spaces.* Through innovation and community engagement, NEIGHBR aims to scale sustainable living across the nation, redefining housing for future generations.How to Develop Artistic Engineering As a SuperpowerCorey describes his superpower as "artistic engineering." Rooted in both his background in civil engineering and his classical training in violin and viola, Corey fuses technical precision with creative vision. "I almost feel like I'm Dr. Strange, who can just grab all types of different ideas and actually pull them into reality," he explained. By balancing analytical problem-solving with artistic expression, Corey designs spaces that are not only functional but also deeply engaging and transformative.Corey exemplified his superpower when designing and building a wellness facility in Atlanta. While ensuring the structure met technical and regulatory standards, he infused the space with biophilic elements, including a koi pond, to foster a sense of tranquility. "We can solve real-world problems, but if something doesn't feel good to the human soul when they interact with it, that can be a challenge," he said. His ability to merge aesthetics with engineering created a space that left visitors in awe, proving that artistic engineering can elevate both form and function.Tips for Developing Artistic Engineering:* Embrace Both Logic and Creativity: Don't limit yourself to one way of thinking—tap into both analytical and imaginative processes.* Immerse Yourself in Music: Corey believes listening to classical compositions enhances problem-solving and fosters a deeper understanding of complexity.* Stay Open to Possibilities: Approach challenges with a mindset that solutions can come from unexpected places.* Prioritize Humanity in Design: Consider the emotional and sensory experience of the spaces and products you create.* Observe Nature's Balance: Nature seamlessly integrates structure and beauty—use it as inspiration for your own projects.By following Corey Johnson's example and advice, you can make artistic engineering a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileCorey Johnson (he/him):CEO, Founder, NEIGHBRAbout NEIGHBR: NEIGHBR is a world-building organization dedicated to creating spaces that enhance the human experience at scale. As a leader in the social infrastructure sector, NEIGHBR engages in project consulting, development, and social impact investing. At NEIGHBR, we are redefining the future of community living by developing fully sustainable, resort-style eco-villages that significantly reduce the cost of living while promoting health, wellness, and environmental stewardship. Operating at the intersection of wellness real estate and technology, NEIGHBR is advancing patent-pending building technology to combat climate change and developing AI social infrastructure development software that empowers everyday users to design and build their own unique social infrastructure projects.Website: neighborind.comCompany Facebook Page: fb.com/profile.php?id=61571977766435Other URL: invest.fundinghope.com/offering/neighbr/detailsBiographical Information: Corey M. Johnson, born and raised in Atlanta, GA, is a visionary and world-changer committed to the advancement of mankind. As a kid designing Lego models, Corey dreamt of shaping the physical world and later went on to graduate with a Civil Engineering degree from Georgia Tech. After exploring every phase of the infrastructure development process with top companies such as GDOT and AECOM and then successfully building out his own social infrastructure project in Atlantic Station, Corey began to envision the creation of NEIGHBR. Corey wakes up every day with the passion and purpose to create spaces that lead people to be all that God called them to be.Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/neighbour-development-incInstagram Handle: @neighbr.life/Support Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, National Coalition for Community Capital, Imotobank Dealership and SuperCrowdLA. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact MembersThe following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.* Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on February 18, 2024, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.* SuperCrowdHour, February 19, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Devin Thorpe will be leading a session on "Calculating Your Funding Needs," providing essential guidance for entrepreneurs and impact-driven businesses to determine the right amount to raise for sustainable growth. Whether you're preparing for your first crowdfunding campaign or planning to scale, this is a must-attend! Don't miss it!* Superpowers for Good Live Pitch for Q1-25, March 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM ET. The application window for the 1st quarter live pitch event is now open. Apply here.* SuperCrowdLA: we're going to be live in Santa Monica, California, May 1-3. Plan to join us for a major, in-person event focused on scaling impact. Sponsored by Digital Niche Agency, ProActive Real Estate and others. This will be a can't-miss event. Has your business been impacted by the recent fires? Apply now for a chance to receive one of 10 free tickets to SuperCrowdLA on May 2nd and 3rd and gain the tools to rebuild and grow!Community Event Calendar* Successful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events* Kingscrowd Meet Up in West Hartford, CT - February 24th at 5:30 PM ET* Capital Raise Strategies for Purpose Driven Enterprises, hosted by PathLight Law, February 25 at 1:00 PM ET.* Kingscrowd Meet UP in San Francisco, CA - February 27th at 5:30 PM PT* Igniting Community Capital to Build Outdoor Recreation Communities, Crowdfund Better, Thursdays, March 20 & 27, April 3 & 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET.* NC3 Changing the Paradigm: Mobilizing Community Investment Funds, March 7, 2025* Asheville Neighborhood Economics, April 1-2, 2-25.* Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.Call for community action:* Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefitting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

In this episode, we sit down with Bianca Medina-Leal, Program Director at AECOM, to discuss the challenges and triumphs of managing multi-billion dollar school construction projects.00:57 – Meet BiancaBianca introduces her role at AECOM and how her team helps Austin ISD manage massive school construction projects.02:31 – The $2.4 Billion BondAustin voters approved a $2.4 billion bond to modernize over 130 school facilities. Bianca's team oversees more than $1 billion of the work.03:41 – The Challenge of Aging SchoolsMany Austin ISD buildings are over 50 years old. Deciding whether to renovate or rebuild is a complex process driven by facility assessments and community needs.09:00 – Race Against the ClockWith Austin's rapid growth, the district must move fast. Their aggressive five-year timeline puts pressure on every phase of construction.09:52 – Competing with Mega ProjectsTesla's Gigafactory and Samsung's plant are pulling contractors away. Bianca shares how Austin ISD retains labor despite the competition. 14:05 – Navigating Construction During COVIDCOVID disrupted timelines, but school projects were deemed essential. Bianca details how her team adapted to keep things moving.20:37 – Scaling Up: The Current State of the ProgramFour new schools are opening soon, with more in design and construction. Managing this level of activity requires constant coordination. 21:17 – Why Owners Push Fast ConstructionDelays mean rising costs. With a fixed budget, Austin ISD must act quickly or risk cutting projects due to inflation.26:03 – Choosing the Right Delivery MethodBianca explains why Design-Build and CMAR are the preferred models, emphasizing the importance of strong contractor-architect relationships. 33:20 – Community Engagement in School DesignNo two schools look the same—community input ensures designs reflect local culture and student needs.36:41 – Prefabrication & InnovationPrefab construction offers speed and cost savings, but not every site is a good fit. Lessons learned from past projects guide future decisions.39:20 – The Data DilemmaManaging a $2.4 billion program requires massive data tracking. Despite advanced tools, Excel remains a critical part of the workflow. Bianca's wish? Seamless tech integration and better alignment between school construction and district-wide operations.55:00 – The Megaphone QuestionHer message to the industry: Trust, collaboration, and communication are the foundation of every successful project. Construction is about more than just buildings—it's about people.58:48 – Closing ThoughtsBianca reflects on the impact of building schools and why it's all worth it. If you're in construction, take pride in the work you do—it shapes the future.Go build something awesome! -----CHECK OUT THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE OUR SHOW POSSIBLE: https://www.brospodcast.com/partnersFIND US ONLINE:-Our website: https://www.brospodcast.com-LinkedIn: / constructionbrospodcast-Instagram: / constructionbrospodcast-TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@constructionbrothers?lang=en-Eddie on LinkedIn: / eddie-c-057b3b11-Tyler on LinkedIn: / tylerscottcampbellIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

In this episode, I talk with Shawn Lapain, P.Eng, senior geotechnical engineer at AECOM, about the groundbreaking innovations in pavement design and rehabilitation that keep roads resilient in the harshest environments, from scorching deserts to icy tundras. ***The video version of this episode can be viewed here.*** Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of the Questions We […] The post Insider Tips to Advance Pavement Design With Outstanding Results – Ep 119 appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

January 23, 2025 ~ Michael Griffie, Detroit Market Leader for AECOM joins Paul live at the Detroit Policy Conference.

In today's podcast we go Stateside to catch up on what is happening in the US as the global super power prepares for the latest iteration of the Donald Trump Presidency and as Los Angeles struggles to contain and recover from catastrophic wild fires.My guest today is Steve Burrows, ICE Representative for the West Coast of the USA. Steve is based in San Francisco and, after a global career in engineering working for Arup, then Aecom and WSP on projects including the Birdsnest Olympic Stadium in Beijing and Apple's headquarters in California, is now an independent consultant helping infrastructure clients to deliver better outcomes from their investments.So after 40 years in the region, If anyone has his finger on the West Coast pulse it's Steve!Well the Trump presidency is certainly a massive moment for the US and a massive moment for the rest of the world – huge consequences geopolitically and huge impacts economically if Trump follows through on his election promises.And huge impacts for infrastructure professionals as the administration switches track from renewables and net zero ambition back to the drill baby drill oil and gas centric policies of the past.Meanwhile of course the very real impact of global climate change has arrived in Los Angeles which is still battling what is certainly one of the worst natural disasters to have hit the city in its history. So far 25 people have been killed with many more still missing and tens of thousands of properties destroyed as fires rage across the parched dry tinder box driven my unprecedented high winds.It is truly a scene of tragedy on a massive scale.From an infrastructure perspective both events raise huge questions for the US – not least in a country that has massively underfunded and under maintained is infrastructure assets and that had world leading ambitions for low carbon development..So make no mistake there are big challenge ahead as professionals attempt to steer the path toward safe, productive and resilient infrastructure. So how are they coping. Let's find out.ResourcesICE North AmericaCalFire LA wire fires updateThe White HouseACSE infrastructure report cardGenuine Intelligence Podcast Steve Burrows Linked InB2BURROWS

In this podcast episode, our guest speaker, Lynn from Avanti Corporation, describes her company's work providing science and engineering studies for federal regulatory agencies. The company helps regulators, such as the EPA, to develop rules and regulations in an environmentally responsible way. Lynn mentions that the company's main competitors are large firms like TetraTech, Aecom, and HDR. She also gives two examples of studies that Avanti is currently working on. The first is an outreach program and distribution of test kits for people in the Virgin Islands who use cisterns for drinking water. The second project involves developing a programmatic environmental impact statement for offshore wind projects in the New York area. Lynn explains that the programmatic review will look at the overall impact of multiple wind projects and streamline the process for implementing them. Want to learn more about Lynn and her expertise? Tune in now!

This week on The Preconstruction Podcast, Gareth McGlynn meets with Tom Carolan, Director of Scheduling at Barton Mallow, to discuss the rising importance of scheduling in construction and its impact on delivering complex projects. Tom's journey into scheduling: From a CM degree at Wentworth to roles at Whiting-Turner, AECOM, and now Barton Mallow . The rapid expansion of Barton Mallow's scheduling team and its significance in the industry. Planning and scheduling: Its simplest form and importance. Chairing the Advancing Scheduling and Planning Conference. Challenges in planning and scheduling: Addressing the role of technology. Planning & Scheduling methodologies: Last Planner, LCI, and CPM. This episode provides practical insights and industry expertise for schedulers and preconstruction professionals alike. Connect with Tom Carolan on LinkedIn for more insights: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasquinncarolan/details/experience/

Welcome to our review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch. Here we discuss the biggest pitch wins and mergers & acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in 2024.If you haven't heard already I'm pleased to say we've now launched our PR Masterclass: The Intersection of Data, Planning and Measurement event. Attend this PR Masterclass to hear from experts on the latest techniques, tools and case studies about the use of data in modern communications.The other big news in public relations is that the PRmoment Awards 2025 are open. The final entry deadline is on January 17th. Miss it and miss out!Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.JANUARYPitchesIceland appointed TangerineHenkel appointed BCW/BursonMinistry of Justice appointed KindredAirbnb  appointed The Romans.M&AMerger of BCW and H+K to become Burson and create a £1bn + agency.Bully Pullpit Interactive acquired Boldt. FEBRUARYPitches“This is often the hangover from the Golden Quarter Pitches that start to get announced.”Bolt appointed Boldspace.Burger King appointed The Academy.British Gas appointed Smarts. M&A SEC Newgate acquired a 70% stake (over 5 years) in Athens HQ V+O Group.Real Chemistry acquired Avant Healthcare -Havas acquired Ledger Bennett. MARCHPitchesPepsi appointed Hope & Glory.“The first change for Pepsi in 14 years. This was a big big brief.”Taco Bell appointed Earnies.“You never forget your first win'Pizza Express appointed Pretty Green. M&AMHP acquired La Plage (creative content above the line agency). First acquisition for MHP since its acquisition by Next15.W acquired Franses,Havas appointed WildernessAPRIL PitchesWilliam + Grant appointed Exposure.Shark Ninja appointed  BursonTinder appointed The AcademyCarlsberg appointed Hope&GloryEA appointed Premier.M&AAccenture bought Unlimited“In my mind one of the smartest deals that was done this year.”WPP announced that leading global investment firm KKR has made a growth investment in FGS Global.“WPP has focused on releasing cash and consolidation and they've done that impeccably well.”“The holding companies and the big private equity firms have all realised that scale is important.”MAYPitchesEDF appointed Tin Man/Lucky Generals“What we've seen in consumer PR is... the agencies who went into the year strongest, have come out even stronger.”Reebok appointed Brand Nation.Pringles appointed Mischief MHP.Unilever appointed Golin“Nothing beats the UK, no one comes close, in terms of strategic creativity.”M&APagefield sells to PPHC.JUNE/JULYPITCHESFamous Grouse appointed Pretty Green.B&Q appointed Romans.Homebase appointed Aduro.The Independent appointed W.WRAP appointed Kindred.National Grid appointed 9 agencies to a “Community Agency Framework” for next 3 years – Grayling, Cavendish, Lexington, Aecom, Arup, Camargue, Copper, grasshopper, JBP.M&APublicis acquired Influential.Havas - acquired a controlling stake in Klareco Communications.Prime Weber Shandwick – MBO. AUGPITCHESMoet Hennessy appointed Earnies - wines and spirits division of LVMH.Dept for Education appointed FourArla Foods -appointed City Press.  

Michael Warren, Associate Vice President and BIM Director at AECOM, rejoins us on Fail Faster after his riveting previous episode. Michael reflects on lessons learned from his journey as an early adopter of 3D technology and dives into how leaders can balance innovation, fiscal responsibility, and ethics in an era defined by digital transformation, AI, and big data. From managing generational gaps in tech adoption to setting measurable KPIs for smarter experimentation, Michael offers actionable insights for navigating today's fast-evolving landscape. This episode is packed with compelling stories, including strategies for embracing failure, building better experiments, and leveraging the human mind as the ultimate tool for innovation. Don't miss this engaging discussion that challenges conventional leadership paradigms and inspires forward-thinking solutions.

Michael Lewis, Regional Scheduling Director at AECOM Hunt, joins our host Gareth McGlynn for a focused discussion on scheduling in preconstruction and estimating. Episode Highlights: Construction Management degree from the University of Nebraska. 12 years of scheduling expertise. Importance of scheduling in pre-construction and estimating. The stigma around scheduling. Biggest challenge scheduling faces in today's industry. Connect with Mike Lewis on LinkedIn for more insights: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-lewis-pmi-sp-a700642a/ Catch this insightful episode and stay tuned for more from The Preconstruction Podcast!

Rachel Billington, AECOM's Director of People and Culture, shares her intriguing transition from policing to leading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at a major global infrastructure company. Rachel recounts an inspiring moment when her impactful speech sparked enhanced maternity leave support. As we navigate the complexities of DEI amid contrasting political climates across Europe and North America, Rachel sheds light on overcoming the cyclical challenges and backlash against 'wokery.' With a focus on fostering inclusive environments, she emphasizes the power of open dialogue to move beyond the limitations of cancel culture and encourages authentic expression in the workplace.Our conversation also uncovers AECOM's commitment to promoting diversity in engineering, with particular attention to gender balance and early career recruitment in the UK. Rachel reveals innovative strategies, such as collaborating with inclusive universities and conducting STEM outreach, to address gender disparities. We discuss the significance of using authentic representation in organizational marketing and the broader implications of diversity across all areas, including age. From ensuring equitable gender representation at senior levels to preventing talent drain through age diversity, Rachel highlights how economic and moral imperatives align to build a more inclusive workforce.Support the showFollow axschat on social mediaTwitter:https://twitter.com/axschathttps://twitter.com/AkwyZhttps://twitter.com/neilmillikenhttps://twitter.com/debraruhLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniovieirasantos/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/axschat/Vimeohttps://vimeo.com/akwyz

Today's podcast comes from Canada as I'm on a short North American trip, and  our discussion is focused how technology is set to – perhaps is already – transforming the delivery and operation of public transport. In particular, we ask what lessons can be learnt from around the world – specifically from Toronto - by welcoming Kirsten Watson, Vice President of Government Relations and Transit Market Sector Leader at AECOM to the podcast todayKirsten is former Deputy CEO at Toronto Transit Commission and has just been chairing a fascinating series of conversations about the future of infrastructure at the Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit in Toronto. This is the latest in a series of global summits hosted by infrastructure software business Bentley System, which, over the last couple of years I have had the pleasure of assisting in the delivery.So why Toronto? Well, of course the need for investment in infrastructure is a global challenge as we attempt to drive economies through the provision of better, more effective, lower carbon energy sources, housing, healthcare, water supplies and transport. Toronto - and Ontario Province in which is sits - understands this well and has ambitious plans, led by Infrastructure Ontario, to invest over $185 billion Canadian dollars in the next 10 years to build new roads, transit and hospitals as using public cash through the Canadian Infrastructure Bank and the new Ontario Infrastructure Bank to support further private capital.A pressing issue not least given the impact of a changing climate and the fact that the population of the Greater Toronto area is expected to grow by 2.5 million by 2041.From the outset, Ontario has set out its ambition to harness the use of new technologies to both help deliver this ambitious agenda on time and on budget, but also to improve and transform the operation and maintenance of assets through the use of data digital twins and an array of artificial intelligence tools. It is a bold plan and one that perhaps the world might learn from – and, indeed, it must be said, Toronto is equally keen to learn from others. So let's hear more. ResourcesToronto's infrastructure plans Ontario Infrastructure Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit TorontoCanadian Infrastructure BankAECOM TorontoBentley Systems TIP hubThe Future of Infrastructure Group Canada

In this episode of Fail Faster, we welcome Michael Warren, Associate Vice President of Digital Practice Innovation at AECOM. Michael shares his unique journey from a childhood filled with curiosity and a passion for learning to a career that bridges architecture and technology. He discusses his transition into the tech industry, and how he integrates AI and machine learning into his projects. Join us as Michael provides insights into the future of architecture, the role of technology, and the importance of continuous learning and innovation.

Welcome to our review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch. Here, we discuss the biggest pitch wins and mergers & acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in the summer of 2024.Andrew is the lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR and a partner at PCB Partners, where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.Andrew launched Andrew Bloch & Associates in 2020.Before we start, our PR Masterclass: Agency Growth Forum has now launched. It's on 12th November 2024, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm GMT. Both face-to-face and virtual tickets are available. The event is held in central London.“There is momentum building. We're going into the golden quarter.”“My observation is that the same agencies are doing very well, but there are some agencies that are struggling.”“As always, it's important to keep an eye on your margins.”“Brands are being cautious…there's a fair bit of try before you buy."“Everything is going in the right direction. The work being done by agencies is bold.”The summer's PR Pitch wins:Castore hires Pretty Green. Famous Grouse also hires Pretty GreenB&Q hires The RomansIkea franchisee Ingka Centres hires The RomansVirgin Voyages also hires The Romans The Independent hires W Communications. All Things Butter hires MunchZenDesk hires AxicomHomebase hires Aduro Jammie Dodgers (Fox's Burton Biscuits) hire FrankEvri hires CitypressBrewdog hires Ilk UK Export Credit Agency hires EulogyWRAP hires KindredOpen Table hires LaunchNational Grid hires nine agencies to its “community agency framework” for the next three years, namely Grayling, Cavendish, Lexington, Aecom, Arup, Camargue, Copper, grasshopper and JBP.The summer's M&A activityWPP exit FGS Global - KKR takes majority control - valuing the company at $1.7B$AKT Health sells to JPA Health, the US HQ full-service healthcare group. Ascential (formerly known as Emap) to be acquired by Informa - £1.2bn cash offer deal.  Ascential owns Cannes Lions and Warc, a deal which is subject to regulatory and shareholder approval. Ascential is FTSE 250 - Cannes Lions generated 131M last year with an EBIT of 55M+.  Publicis acquires Influential - a leading influencer marketing platformHavas - acquires controlling stake in Klareco Communications - 3rd acquisition this year to add to global strategic advisory network H/Advisors.Prime Weber Shandwick – MBO – Swedish creative PR agency bought ten years ago.  Will now operate as an affiliate owned by five members of the leadership team. Will remain a close partner in the network. Supreme Group (A US Healthcare and Life Science Comms and Marketing) acquires Bio Strata (a Cambridge based life science pr and marketing.)

In this episode of Great Women in Compliance, Hemma and Sarah visit with Roxanne Petraeus and Susan Frank Divers to talk about intentionally building a “Listen Up” culture. Tune in to hear the powerful origin stories of two great women in compliance who have been moved to drive significant impact in this space, from enterprising business solutions, to innovative learning and development strategies, to thoughtful approaches to measuring culture and employee sentiment as a measure of success.  Highlights include the ways in which listening builds trust, how to measure impact, not activity, how to achieve integrated risk management, how to design your employee training with employee experience and employee sentiment in mind, and despite our aspirational claims to be building a strong speak up culture, how our employees will always be the actual arbiter of our success.  You can learn more about Roxanne and Susan's work at www.ethena.com.  Biographies ‍Roxanne Petraeus is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ethena, a compliance training platform startup with intuitive and powerful admin tools that make required training easy, engaging, and effective.  Roxanne previously consulted for McKinsey, and before that, she was an officer in the US Army. She found that no matter the setting, whether consulting or in the military, there remained an opportunity to make compliance training better. She started Ethena in 2019 with Co-Founder Anne Solmssen.  Ethena enjoys incredibly positive word of mouth within the HR community, and is trusted by thousands of companies like Figma, Notion, Noom, Pinterest, and Carta to provide actionable training. And the employees love it: Ethena has a 93% positive rating, and over 2M positive reviews. Roxanne is a natural leader, and her eagerness to question and reinvent old paradigms is at the heart of Ethena's ascendance. Susan Frank Divers serves as an advisor to Ethena, Inc., an all-in-one compliance training platform that helps companies create more ethical and inclusive work cultures. Prior to joining Ethena, she was the director of thought leadership and best practices for LRN Corporation for seven years. She has 30+ years' accomplishments and experience in the ethics and compliance arena. This expertise includes building state-of-the-art compliance and training programs, designing user-friendly means of engaging and informing employees, fostering an embedded culture of compliance, and sharing substantial subject matter expertise in anti-corruption, export controls, sanctions, and other key areas of compliance. Prior to joining LRN, Ms. Divers served as AECOM's Assistant General for Global Ethics & Compliance and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer. Under her leadership, AECOM's ethics and compliance program garnered six external awards in recognition of its effectiveness and Ms. Divers' thought leadership in the ethics field. In 2011, Ms. Divers received the AECOM CEO Award of Excellence, which recognized her work in advancing the company's ethics and compliance program. #GWIC is proud to announce that it has been nominated for the WomenInPodcastAwards.  This is a people's choice award and whether you vote for #GWIC or other nominees we ask that you send the elevator back down by voting. Voting opens August 1, 2024, and details can be found on the #GWIC Linkedin page at http://www.linkedin.com/groups/12156164 Resources Join the Great Women in Compliance community on LinkedIn here.

Jetzt zu unserem Live-Podcast anmelden. https://forms.gle/1GC6zVn7dnqkF6ZF9 Erfahre hier mehr über unseren Partner Scalable Capital - dem Broker mit Flatrate und Zinsen. Alle weiteren Infos gibt's hier: scalable.capital/oaws. Aktien + Whatsapp = Hier anmelden. Lieber als Newsletter? Geht auch. Das Buch zum Podcast? Jetzt lesen. Nix los an der Börse. Sehr viel los bei Gallium und Germanium. Außerdem geht der effiziente Apple-CFO und der CFO von Super Micro Computer ist laut Hindenburg etwas zu effizient. Good News zum Schluss: Evotec-Management kauft eigene Aktien. Was haben der Panama Kanal, der Flughafen in Dubai, das One World Trade Center und der Hafen in Los Angeles gemeinsam? An allen hat die US-Firma AECOM (WKN: A0MMEV) mitgewirkt. Europa war gestern. TUI (WKN: TUAG50) goes international. Kann das aufgehen? Diesen Podcast vom 28.08.2024, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung.

In this episode, I talk with Noelle Cochran, P.E., F. NSPE, Noelle is the vice president and risk management director at AECOM, and she takes us through some strategies that project managers in the architecture, engineering, and construction space can use to improve their risk management skills. Mastering these techniques will not only help you mitigate […] The post AECPM 51: Techniques for Better Risk Management in the AEC Industry appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this episode, we talk with Brianne Kliphardt, EIT, a bridge design engineer at AECOM, about the world of bridge design engineering. From discussing the difference between superstructure and substructure to offering advice for engineers on overcoming obstacles in bridge design projects, this conversation covers it all. ***The video version of this episode can be […] The post TSEC 134: How to Successfully Overcome Obstacles in Bridge Design Projects appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

In this interview on the In a World with Real Media podcast, host Brad Burrow interviews Julie Sayers, one of the principals and owner of encompas and the mayor of Lenexa, Kansas. Julie Sayers was elected mayor in November 2023. Prior to that, she served as a Ward 4 council member from 2019–2023. Julie is an owner and principal of a commercial furniture dealership called encompas. She grew up in Topeka, Kansas, and earned a bachelor's degree in interior design from the University of Kansas. She initially practiced interior design at AECOM (formerly Ellerbe Becket), one of Kansas City's firms that specializes in NBA, NFL and collegiate sports facilities. This provided her with a foundation for large-scale project management, multidisciplinary coordination and construction administration. In her role in the design community, Julie has served as president of the Mid-America Chapter of the International Interior Design Association and president of the Center for Architecture & Design Kansas City. Julie serves on the Executive Board of Climate Action KC. This group of policy makers from northeast Kansas and northwest Missouri — along with their partners in the private and nonprofit sectors — are working to enact and foster proactive strategies, systems and structures within the region to reduce greenhouse gases, improve climate resilience and generate corresponding economic, social, health and quality of life benefits. Sayers discusses her background in interior design, including her work on sports stadiums and arenas such as the Superdome and the Barclays Center. She then details her transition to encompas, a contract furniture dealership, and her eventual rise to ownership alongside three other women. The conversation shifts to the impact of COVID-19 on the contract furniture industry, with Sayers highlighting the increased demand for creating inviting and functional office spaces that entice employees back to the workplace. She also touches on the growing importance of ergonomics in both office and home settings. Sayers then shares her journey into politics, starting with her involvement in the campaign for a new airport project and culminating in her election as mayor of Lenexa. She emphasizes the importance of community engagement and her commitment to maintaining stability and delivering excellent services to residents. The interview concludes with a discussion of Lenexa's future development plans, including the completion of major projects like the AdventHealth campus, the Justice Center, and the renovation of the Community Center in Old Town. Sayers also mentions the city's comprehensive plan, which outlines the vision for Lenexa's growth and development over the next 20 years.

I'm not often left speechless when I'm interviewing guests, but for a few moments here I struggled to digest what Rebekah Kik was telling me about Kalamazoo. If you're a planner, you must listen to this episode. This is a truly inspirational effort in a city that doesn't get the limelight. For a city of about 75,000 people in a quiet corner of Michigan, the staff and community have done amazing work.The story is mostly about a planning effort called Imagine Kalamazoo, which sounds like every garden-variety planning effort everywhere. But, the way it came together and what it produced in short order is truly unique. Learn how a plan executed at a high level helped attract corporate funding on the back side that will help the day-to-day livability of the city.Along the way, we trace Rebekah's career from a small college in Michigan, Andrews University, to working as an architect and planner. She talks about how her drawing skills helped her survive the Great Recession, and how her tenacity is helping her home town get better.I've said before, and I'll stand by it, that the most innovative work in local governments happens in smaller cities and towns. Kalamazoo definitely rings the bell for that theory - accomplishing the kinds of successful efforts that we so rarely see in large cities. More to come on that at a future date.Find more content on The Messy City on Kevin's Substack page.Music notes: all songs by low standards, ca. 2010. Videos here. If you'd like a CD for low standards, message me and you can have one for only $5.Intro: “Why Be Friends”Outro: “Fairweather Friend”Episode Transcript:Kevin K (00:00.802) Welcome back to the Messy City Podcast. This is Kevin Klinkenberg. Sometimes you, over the course of your career, you get to know people and see them and see, watch their careers evolve along with yours. And if you're fortunate, you can see people, meet people when they're young and see them grow into all sorts of new positions and do interesting work. And today I'm fortunate to have a guest that's a little bit like that. We have... The assistant city manager for Kalamazoo, Michigan, Rebecca Kick here. Rebecca, how you doing? Rebekah Kik (00:39.082) I'm really well Kevin, thank you. Kevin K (00:41.666) I was just thinking earlier, I think I met you originally when you were a student at Andrews, is that right? Rebekah Kik (00:47.594) That's correct. We got to intersect our paths when I was on charrette with Professor Philip Bess. Kevin K (00:58.594) Yeah, yeah. So, and Phil, we've had Phil here on the show before. He'll probably do so again, I'm sure, especially now that he's in retirement and his schedule is going to open up a little bit more. But yeah, those were some fun days that seemed like about a million years ago. Rebekah Kik (01:17.194) It really was. Mostly because I used to just chase Philip at his heels. I knew he was doing cool things. I did. I just knew he was doing cool things and I wanted to know desperately what he was doing and I begged him to take me. where he was going. I told him I would do anything. I would fetch coffee. I would make copies. You know, get lunches. I would do whatever he needed me to do. I would be that gopher, that little sponge, because I knew he was hanging around with cool people and I wanted to learn and know and do. And I believe that charrette Kevin K (01:48.61) You Rebekah Kik (02:14.633) was in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And it was in the Hartside neighborhood. And that was the first time I had ever heard, I believe at that time, we were calling them traditional neighborhood codes or they weren't called form -based codes yet. They were regulating plans or something like that. They were much more technical still at that point. But they were... Kevin K (02:16.609) Yep. Yeah, that was all like early days stuff for new urbanism and coding and all that. So let's just go back to that a little bit, Rebecca. I just, I think it's interesting. So you went to a really small college in Michigan, Andrews University. Did you, did you like grow up in Michigan or how did you find Andrews? Rebekah Kik (02:45.834) Yes. Rebekah Kik (02:56.394) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (03:02.058) Yes, I did. So I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and I didn't know I wanted to be an architect. My mother was an administrative assistant in an architecture firm and I had my own desk at the firm. She would pick me up from school and I would sit at my desk and I was given different kinds of plans all the time that I would be finishing with different templates that I would draw and I would be picking out finishes and finish drawing, finish the plans. They would teach me how to add walls, tell me about wall thicknesses, things like that. They were building foam core models that, you know, maybe that model didn't meet the... client specs or whatever. So I would take the model home and I would finish it myself. I was doing architecture all the time and the architects at the time would just laugh at me because I'd be like, I can't be an architect. That's not a real job. And the whole time just loving everything that they were doing. And so finally, of course, here was graduating from high school and I told my mom's boss. Kevin K (04:13.826) Hehehehe Rebekah Kik (04:26.378) I was looking for an architecture school and that's when he said, where are you visiting? Where are you going? And I said, well, I just visited University of Michigan. Went to Lawrence Institute of Technology and he said, have you gone to Andrews University yet? And I said, no, you know, where's that at? And he goes, well, please do. You know, it's down in Bering Springs. And I... have to say I walked through the door I saw this nearly four foot tall and it was built completely out of wood and it was this craftsman, this quarter scale craftsman home. And the details were so beautiful and hanging behind it was this analytics. Rebekah Kik (05:29.418) It was hand drawn. It was ink rendered, you know, like the Chinese style ink, you know, Richard Akonomakis from the University of Notre Dame came and taught this third year course, this analytic course. And then in your fourth year, you built this model. I was captivated. That was it. It was this. moment and then I met with Lou Seibold and I walked around that it's a pole barn. Let's be honest, if you have not visited Andrews University, you look at the work on the walls and you can't peel your eyes away. But if you zoom out for a second, you will lose it because it is a pole barn and a series of trailers. But the work Kevin K (06:19.17) Hehehe Rebekah Kik (06:25.738) and the students and the heart and the community that is built at Andrews will suck you in and you will know. Kevin K (06:36.962) Yeah. Yeah. I had the pleasure to come speak at Andrew's one time and then do some critiques. And it's a really unique, it's a very small college. And it's a religious college or it's affiliated with the Seventh -day Adventist. And it's one of the few colleges in the country that for lots and lots of years has actually taught a more sort of traditional pre -war. Rebekah Kik (06:46.378) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (07:04.738) approach to architectural design and urban design. So, I mean, that all, when you're 18 years old, you don't really know or understand any of that stuff. But I mean, how do you think that shaped your educational experience? Rebekah Kik (07:18.922) my goodness. The first book that I was handed in my first year, first class, Timeless Way of Building. And that was it. It shaped everything. When you're handed a treatise like that, your whole life is set on this path. And you realize Kevin K (07:30.242) Hmm. Yeah. Rebekah Kik (07:48.33) that there's. There's a healing you can do in the work. that. Rebekah Kik (08:05.482) Yeah, there's a healing that you can do in your work and there's a harm that you can do in your work. And I chose the path of healing. And you realize that when you graduate, let me be clear, once you get out into that world and you, especially in your fifth year at Andrews, by your fifth year, you're doing sort of these professional practice classes. you are seeing, and finally with these eyes, you're at the, you know, the scales fall off and you're like, my God, you know, suburban sprawl. And you understand like what the built environment is. And you, you understand like what your responsibility to, you know, how you place your buildings and, that you have this moral responsibility, for what you're doing in. in the space and you now want to repair and you want to show others that you can repair. And I remember entering professional practice and driving every architecture firm that I then proceeded to work for insane. Kevin K (09:33.666) You Rebekah Kik (09:34.377) Because I catch, they'd be like, okay, in turn, you know, read the zoning rules, tell us where we can put the building. And I'd say, but these are wrong. We shouldn't put our building like this. And they go, Rebecca, come on, like, really, just tell us where does the building go? Like, tell us the building envelope, like, just do the sketch. And I'm like, but we can't do it like this. it shouldn't be this way. Like, look at the, look at across the street. Like, this isn't responsible. You have to go somewhere else. Kevin K (10:10.178) Yeah. Yeah, it does kind of ruin you for working in like a lot of typical architecture firms, especially like big shops. Rebekah Kik (10:21.386) It does. It does. And so you have to be, and this is what I tell architects who are graduating, like you, I'm so sorry, like you're ruined now. Like you have to be really, really careful about who you're going to work with and for, and where you're going to go because you are going to be frustrated and you're going to frustrate others. Kevin K (10:37.762) Yeah. Kevin K (10:44.098) Yeah. Well, I will tell you one thing I do remember from my visits to Andrew's is I was so jealous of the drawing ability of what I saw the students creating. And long after I had gone off and graduated from college and I would see the work that you all were producing and the work that students at Notre Dame was producing, I would just think, my God, these students are all going to get great jobs because look at this They can all draw and it's beautifully done. And it really, you know, it left me feeling like, okay, I better go find something else to do. Rebekah Kik (11:21.578) You know, I do say that kept me employed during the downturn. And it kept me flexibly employed. So I got laid off three times. And that was hard. And it allowed me to seriously surf those crazy waves. because I could draw. So I got employed by, this is how I learned planning by experience. Because I was never interested in planning school. I could never have just planned school. I just, I don't have the patience for it. But I was able to walk alongside of planners. Kevin K (12:07.778) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (12:18.858) and transportation planners especially, and engineers. And I could help them express their vision. So when they were doing road diets, you know, I worked for Gladding Jackson in Orlando. And that was so much fun. My time with them, I spent six years with them after UDA. Because, and that's what I did. I was there, one of their lead illustrators on their transportation planning team. And that's how I got hired was because I could draw. And I did everything vertical because they could, they had great planners and they could do everything flat. And they needed someone to vision everything vertical and do all the infill when they were doing the sprawl repair, when they were doing highway teardowns. then I could come in, do the SketchUp model, and then vision everything vertical for them. Yeah. Kevin K (13:23.234) Interesting. So one thing I will say real quick is, I think I may have pushed you to move the mic a little too close. I'm getting a touch of static off of it. So there you go. That's fine. Test that there. Okay. Let's try that. don't worry, I can edit and cut things. That's not a big deal. So, well, I think about that and I think it's a great testimony to having an actual skill. Rebekah Kik (13:36.906) Okay. Rebekah Kik (13:43.274) Okay. Kevin K (13:53.058) You know, and you, you know, you and some of the others that came out of those schools had to have a real marketable skill, which was really learning how to draw beautifully by hand, which, you know, I think a lot of people think that that's just something you can either do or you can't do, but it actually is teachable. And, and so I've always been jealous of that. And I've observed something similar to what you talked about that the folks that I knew in the profession who had that ability to draw by hand. Rebekah Kik (13:53.738) Yes. Rebekah Kik (14:09.994) Yes. Kevin K (14:22.626) They have never lacked for work. They have always had people wanting to hire them. And of course, the better you are at it, the more work that you get. So it's even in our high tech age, that ability to just be able to sit down and draw beautifully by hand is incredibly valuable. Rebekah Kik (14:41.226) Yeah, it is. And I feel like even in my job now as city, when I, when I got hired by the city of Kalamazoo, even as city planner, just being able to sit down with whoever I'm talking to, when I can pull out a piece of paper and draw, it's like a universal communication. It just feels really good. I love it. Kevin K (15:12.546) Well, it's like a superpower. I mean, I've seen that, you know, so many, so many times even, you know, with fellow architects in other firms, like when I was a young person and I, there was a project manager I worked with when we did a lot of schools and he had a great ability to just like, we would meet with a client and all of a sudden he could just whip out a sheet of paper really quickly, three -dimensionally diagram what we were talking about and everybody got it. And it was just like, bam. Rebekah Kik (15:19.946) Yeah. Kevin K (15:41.538) I never really had that ability very well. So I probably appreciate that in other people. And then I've often like overpaid for it just because like, you know, I know how important those drawings are. So I always like to hire good, good renders and people who can really, really draw. So you talked about, you bounced around a little bit. You survived the meltdown, the economic meltdown in 2008, 2010. Rebekah Kik (16:04.298) Yeah. Kevin K (16:10.69) How did you end up back in Kalamazoo? Which I didn't know you grew up there. That's really cool. So you're working for a city government and a place you grew up. Rebekah Kik (16:16.618) Yeah. Yeah, so that's a little bit about how I ended up back here. So the last layoff in 2010, Gladding Jackson merged with AECOM. Kevin K (16:33.89) huh. Rebekah Kik (16:36.138) I was a tough one. I was a little too much for a lot of me and my Gliding Jackson colleagues kind of scattered after that one. And I ended up with a really great freelance contract after that one. I was doing a lot of fun on -call planning, transportation planning work in Southern Colorado. And lots of good things came out of that. But one good relationship that came out of it was a transportation planning relationship with Brad Strader out of LSL planning who was in Detroit at the time. And so I was coming back to Michigan. I had grandparent who passed away who was in Richland, Michigan, which is just outside of Kalamazoo and Me and my brother had actually inherited her home and My brother was gonna remain in Kentucky. He didn't want to move back home and I said well I had just had my son and just got married and we had our first child and I was like Those are the things that bring you home Kevin K (18:04.418) Sounds familiar. Rebekah Kik (18:05.61) Yep. So Xander was 10 months old and we moved back to Michigan and I started contracting with LSL planning and I started doing some charrette work with them in Kalamazoo and Lansing. And I was doing some traveling to Toledo and Detroit and doing some charrette work and things like that with them. It was fun. And so one of those projects was on Portage Street here in Kalamazoo. And we were doing some work and the city of Kalamazoo was like, what is this team? Like, what is this process that they're doing? We did all kinds of really cool exercises on this road diet that we were going to do on this four lane road. And they were like, whoa, this. She's a planner and architect and she talks like an engineer and we need a city planner. Let's take her out to lunch. She says she's from Kalamazoo. Does she know we need a city planner? So they did. They took me out to lunch and I told them, you know, gosh, I really love my work with LSL right now. you know, I kind of have a really cake job. They pay me really well and working on all these really fun projects. That's when the Q line was about to go into Detroit. I had already done some light rail in Vancouver and Minneapolis, and I really loved doing light rail projects. And... they started to tell me, we're about to start this new master plan for the city of Kalamazoo. Gosh, we haven't had a city planner in like a year. We really need somebody like you here. We really, you know, don't have a vision for transportation for the city. And I just thought, gosh, I was like, I'm not a planner, though, you guys. Like, I don't really, I don't really know if you would Rebekah Kik (20:30.346) like somebody like me here, they said, well, why don't you just interview? Would you just interview, just meet us? And so I said, OK, well, maybe I'll just interview. So I went back home and I talked to my husband about it. And I said, you know, maybe I'll just interview. Maybe. You know, I wouldn't be traveling so much and things like that. And Zana is still little, so maybe that's better, you know, that I'm just home more. So, you know, I interviewed, and then they asked me for a second interview. And they said, would you prepare a PowerPoint about how you would run a master plan process for us? Kevin K (21:24.898) You're like, well, yeah, I can do that. Rebekah Kik (21:26.73) And I thought, okay, sure, why not? I'll show you how I'd run your master plan process. So I put this Imagine Kalamazoo process together and I thought, okay, now we'll see if they really want to hire me. I'll blow them away, right? Like I'm just gonna do the kitchen sink it down. Let's see if they're up for this. And I did, I threw the kitchen sink at them. I was like, who is it? Kevin K (21:42.914) He he. Rebekah Kik (21:54.762) here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna have 70 person work group. You're gonna engage 5 ,000 people in your city and you are gonna, you're gonna go to where they are. You're not having these town hall meetings. You're gonna have youth development. You are going to, you know, because I did all this stuff in Colorado. I did these 26 like county meetings and I had them all build off of each other. I did like these really crazy engagement kind of things. And they lapped it up. Like they loved it so much. And they were like, yes, you know, you're hired. And that's like, my gosh, now I have to deliver. Kevin K (22:37.858) Hahaha Rebekah Kik (22:41.354) and I did, I delivered it. I became city planner. I ran the largest community engagement, the city has ever done. I engaged nearly 5 ,000 people through 75 ,000. Kevin K (23:01.086) my God. And how big is Kalamazoo? Jeez. So like, boy, about 15 % or so of the population. That's incredible. Rebekah Kik (23:08.554) Yes, and this is where the surreal meter just goes off the chart. It resulted in... several billionaires in our city creating a permanent $500 million endowment called the Foundation for Excellence for the City of Kalamazoo to permanently implement Imagine Kalamazoo forever. Kevin K (23:52.546) So, I mean, my jaw is dropping here. I'm sitting here trying to absorb this. So, all right. So first of all, I have to, so how does a town of 75 ,000 people have billionaires at all? Rebekah Kik (24:05.93) Striker, Pfizer, Zollettis. What else do we have? The Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company started here. Yeah, we have several medical manufacturing and pharmaceutical, like the... COVID vaccine ground zero is here. Yeah. So. That's how we have like the billionaires are here, but they saw that we were doing something drastically different with our community outreach. They saw that. Kevin K (25:03.042) So when, I mean, that's an enormous amount of money in any community to contribute to some sort of, what sorts of things did they think they wanted to immediately fund? Rebekah Kik (25:15.818) So they, the first thing they did was they made us economically competitive with all of the other municipalities around us and they lowered our tax villages to be even with everyone else around us. So that's one thing that they did was they stabilized all of our property taxes. So they actually Yes. Rebekah Kik (25:44.906) give the city seven million dollars a year so we had a level playing field for all of our. Secondly, the priorities within Imagine Kalamazoo are things like making sure that we have all of our sidewalk connections. We have all of our potholes filled. We have all of our core services are taken care of. All of our trees are trimmed. All of our lights are lit. All of our streets are swept. Like we have solid core services. Then all of our parks are moat. All of our football fields look amazing. All of our youth programs are taken care of. We have things like summer camps. It's called Super Rec. Recreation programs, our pools are open always. You know, those are like what? call like our community promise that all of those things are tip top shape, always quality and level of service are met. And then we have what are called like our aspirational things. So maybe we want to make sure that Every neighborhood that has a major park also has a splash pad. That would be aspirational. So we've been working on making sure that those parks have great splash pads. And we've installed about four of those now. The next aspirational thing that we have is making sure that Rebekah Kik (27:43.658) All of our bike lanes are connected throughout the city so that you can ride from your, you know, just about every school is connected or elementary school is connected within a quarter mile distance, you know, reasonably. So we're kind of mapping that out and making sure that we have like that good safe routes to school plan. So that's another aspiration that we have. Kevin K (28:09.186) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (28:13.738) So things like that. Kevin K (28:13.986) So then like how much of those things that you described are like under the banner of like the city government, it's what it does year after year and how much of it is like through this additional corporate support. Rebekah Kik (28:26.666) Yeah, we would never be able to do this under what the city government has. We just don't have enough tax base and enough of our own funding to do that. And so we use this additional five to $8 million per year that we get from that $500 million endowment. That's what we get about like the interest. Kevin K (28:37.058) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (28:49.026) Okay. Rebekah Kik (28:53.034) from that $500 million is about $5 to $8 million additional aspirational funding is what we get to go with. Kevin K (29:02.082) So their idea is to try to keep that $500 million as capital long term. And then they're spending the interest or giving it back to the city. Just by comparison, what's your city budget overall? The total city budget. Do you have an idea? Rebekah Kik (29:06.026) Mm -hmm. Yep. Rebekah Kik (29:10.922) Yep. Yes. Rebekah Kik (29:17.61) Yeah, it's about 182 million. Yeah. We're like 25 square miles, just to give you an idea. We're pretty compact city. We're very, I mean, we've got some big streets. We're pretty walkable. Pretty compact. Kevin K (29:23.746) Okay. So cute. Kevin K (29:31.266) Okay, 180, yeah. Yeah. Kevin K (29:40.77) Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's an older city that was probably largely built out pre -World War II. Yeah. So, so that's interesting. So then maybe in any given year, it could be five to 10 % of the city budget more or less, depending on how it works out that that's getting kicked in extra. That's pretty cool. Rebekah Kik (29:44.554) Yes. Mm -hmm. Yes. Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (29:56.97) Yes. Yeah, and we do, we also have like a incremental development loan program for housing. We've got pre -permitted housing plans. We do small business development out of those funds. Yeah, we've got a lot of buckets. Kevin K (30:20.898) Well, so let's talk about some of those buckets. What do you mean by your incremental development fund? What's that all about? Rebekah Kik (30:24.842) Yeah. Rebekah Kik (30:29.258) Yeah, so back in that day also when I was the Young City Planner in 2015, Kevin K (30:39.266) And how many planners are on staff? Rebekah Kik (30:42.762) So at that time, there were five of us. Okay? And everybody had their own job. So, you know, I had a historic preservation coordinator. I had a zoning administrator. I had a site plan coordinator. I had no general planners. That was me. I was the generalist on staff as the quote unquote city planner. Kevin K (31:08.482) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (31:14.026) And so I. I knew the zoning code was completely broken. And before I was going to start the master plan, I read all the past master plans back to 1977. So there were four master plans. And the 1998 plan was the most curious. And it had said, it's in this little sidebar, which send it to you. It says, you have a problem to solve. You have a contradiction to solve. You're a city that relies on a tax base. However, you want to reduce that by expanding your lot sizes. because it was saying, you know, you wanted to go to the suburban model. They wanted to create 60 foot wide lots and really suburbanize, creating this R1 district. However, you're a city that relies on taxes. And their standard lot size at that time was 32 feet. And so they're like, basically, you're crushing your tax base. Kevin K (32:43.618) Yeah, so kind of a classic Strong Town's math problem here with the development pattern. Rebekah Kik (32:45.418) And so. Yes. And so here it is in that 1998 sidebar, like some consultant just like shoved it in there and said like, warning, warning, Will Robinson, it's over here. And so I had read that and at that time, Jim Cooman was the executive director there and he was in town doing this. Kevin K (32:58.786) Hahaha Rebekah Kik (33:20.554) developer boot camp with us and I handed the zoning code to Jim and John Anderson and I said hey you guys I think I'm reading our master plan and what I would really love is if you guys just maybe just flip through this with your small developer brains and maybe mark it up a little bit and Tell me what I need to do through like maybe a first blush. Like what if I could do anything right now, change anything, what would I do? And I still have John Anderson's red lines of my zoning code. I refuse to get rid of that. I swear, I'm gonna give it to the museum. Yes, and. Kevin K (34:08.514) Hehehe Yeah, you should frame it and, you know, hang it up. Rebekah Kik (34:17.994) Because it is the first text amendment and this is when we decided we would not do a full overhaul of the zoning ordinance and we would do an incremental Zoning Changes because that's what we would do. We would just say okay. Well, we can just do this. We will just do these text amendments Kevin K (34:44.642) because you didn't want to hire a consultant for a million dollars and take five years to overhaul the zoning code and then have it fail. Rebekah Kik (34:48.778) No, because that's right. And that's not what we needed to do. Because we just needed to do some tweaks. Because it was just the setbacks. The setbacks were the issue. And unlocking those stupid square footage requirements. And we had this really, really great, we had like this. tea room requirement. Like you could do this tea room as long as your house. I still wish we could find like who the hell was this for? It was like a tea room and the house had to be like 50 years old and it could be open from like 9 a to 7 p I mean it was so utterly specific. Like it had to be for somebody but... I mean, I wish we could figure out whose address that was for. Kevin K (35:47.554) you Rebekah Kik (35:50.09) It was unreal. But so, yeah, so that incremental development fund was again born out of this two and a half day session. We knew the Foundation for Excellence was kind of rolling in. And so I posed to the room. I said, OK, you guys, if I had a million dollars, what would you do with it? And they're like, what? What are you talking about? I said, no, seriously, a million dollars cash. I got a million dollars cash, what do I do with it? And they said, well, okay, Rebecca, if somebody graduated from this class, it's an equity fund. And you put those dollars aside and if you have it as a gap loan and it's 1 .5 % interest and it's for four units. And it's, you know, 80 to 120 percent AMI. And it's, you know, 30 year amortized, you know, here's the performance, here's how it fits in. And I was like, great, that's what it is. Okay. Kevin K (37:02.273) Hmm. So basically a way for like a small developer who's getting started to be able to work through basically to get bank financing because there's this other gap financing that can help out along the way. Rebekah Kik (37:17.93) Yes, and we also, so we do that loan program and we do it for four units. We do it at one and a half percent. We'll do it out for as long as we need to. We can be as patient with the capital as necessary. And we also can push it out further. Kevin K (37:46.818) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (37:47.914) So we can make it do, we can be two years out. We can do it after two years or five years if that helps so that you can get some rental income in for a couple years. For five years if that helps your bank as well. Kevin K (38:05.89) Interesting. Kevin K (38:10.946) So have you had some takers on this program? Rebekah Kik (38:13.674) Yeah, we've done, I think we've done at least four of those loans already. So, and we started that, unfortunately, so it started in 2019. We got that loan program and the policies up and going in 2019. So obviously COVID affected that. Kevin K (38:31.074) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (38:41.442) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (38:42.602) quite a bit, so we really hope that we can get some more of that out starting soon. Kevin K (38:48.45) Yeah. That's cool. That's a really interesting idea. So along with that, then you said you mentioned you've got a pre -permitted plan program. And I've talked with some of the folks in that world, the Jennifers and the Mats who do this kind of work. What all have you adopted or what have you done in Kalamazoo? Rebekah Kik (38:53.93) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (38:58.794) Yes. Rebekah Kik (39:10.25) Yeah, so we have duplexes. We have up and down duplexes and an ADU unit that we built. So it took us four years to get this launched as well. But that's because we started building with a nonprofit builder first. We built three duplexes and ADUs. and a cottage, a 900 square foot cottage as well. And we wanted to be sure that we had the Performa like as tuned as possible and that we got all of the kinks out in the plan also. And we have comps now because we built them. And we knew we needed that for the duplexes, not so much the cottage. I mean, we do have some smaller homes in the city. We also have some ADUs in the city. But we now have at least our pre -permitted ADU in the city. But the up and down duplex, we need banks. We're probably going to stop at that a little bit. We now have three of those built. Kevin K (40:23.81) That's cool. And do you think you'll expand that to other plans, other building types? Rebekah Kik (40:30.218) Absolutely, we have four plex, six plex, and 12 plexes coming. And we also have lined up our nonprofit builder to also be, and we're also funding our nonprofit builder with those Foundation for Excellence funds. Again, for us to take the risk in building those, putting the comps on the market. making sure we're getting the performer right. And it gives the developer a model, you know, to really see and touch and feel the quality of it, take a little bit of that risk out for them to see us build it and understand it as well. Kevin K (41:18.562) So along the way, you became the assistant city manager as well, moved up from planner to that. How and when did that happen? Rebekah Kik (41:31.498) So that happened in 2022. Yeah, and how that happened was a couple of things. So one was I had been in my direct, I moved from city planner to the director of community planning and economic development. in 2017. And so I was director for the longest time at the city. And as I was director, I absorbed economic developments. And I did that between 2018 and 2019. Our economic development director at the city retired. And he only had a staff of three. And I had been shadowing and working with Kevin K (42:02.466) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (42:15.65) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (42:29.066) the Brownfield authority the full time. And I finally said to him, I was like, you just, you retire, let me take on your department, you know, planning and economic development just need to be won. He knew like the whole time I was just like, come on, you know, like development is just becoming my thing. Kevin K (42:42.434) Mm -hmm. Rebekah Kik (42:58.602) I never knew I was like this budding developer inside the whole time. I had no idea. They don't tell you that in architecture school that you are like the secret developer. Because they never teach you the finance side in architecture, which they should. Kevin K (43:17.154) Yeah. Rebekah Kik (43:27.05) They should definitely teach you that. So I had gotten my economic development, finance professional certification and I took my test and I did that all during COVID. And at the same time, or just as I was coming out of COVID, I also had been working with the IA Women's municipal leadership program through the state of Michigan, slowly thinking about city management and leadership. And so I had been thinking about it. I had been talking to my city manager and to my boss, William, about that and about what career path looked like for me, what roles they were looking for in city management. At that time, there was a city manager who was about to retire and what they were looking for in their team member. And so then that city manager had retired and they hadn't hired anyone. And then there was a person who joined the city manager's team and they called her like, she was like a project manager and they called her like, like the strategic innovation coordinator or something like that. It was kind of a weird goal. Kevin K (45:14.178) Hehehe. Hehehe. Rebekah Kik (45:14.538) like, that is so my role. I was like, wait a minute, but she's not a city manager. And then she got some opportunity and she left. And you may or may not know this about me, but I'm sometimes I can be a little bold. So I went to my boss. I said, Kevin K (45:21.442) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (45:26.594) Hehehe Kevin K (45:34.242) Yeah. Rebekah Kik (45:42.474) So you may or may not be hiring for that role, but I think that that's my job. I'm going to put a job description in front of you. And I think this is my job description. And I kind of went like that. Kevin K (45:57.89) I love it. That's great. Kevin K (46:08.354) I love it. So obviously he was like, well, clearly you're right. Rebekah Kik (46:11.946) Clearly you're right. Yes. Exactly. And so I said, look, the strategic vision, Magic Helmets, 2035 is coming up. 2025 is due. And by the way, at Magic Helmets, 2025 every year, Kevin K (46:14.85) There's no other conclusion I can draw at that point. Rebekah Kik (46:36.617) I give the City Commission an update. I call it the Imagine Kalamazoo Birthday Celebration. They're all online. And I show the Commission how Imagine Kalamazoo gets implemented every single year. And I tell them that, you know, by the way, in Kalamazoo, we implement our master plans. And here's how we do that. And here's how I've shown you how we implement our 138 goals. how we're on track, how much money we've spent, how we take our community's vision and how we've implemented it. And so now this year, I've been showing them how we are going to create the strategic vision for Imagine Calendly 2035. And as city manager, I'm showing them how their strategic vision for the entire organization. I have been... My role now is as an organization leader. I have. been engaging the organization because that's, I didn't do that last time. I only engaged the community. So since October of last year, I've done six internal staff retreats. I've done an entire organizational survey. I've just started doing my second round of small group meetings where I've been engaging in what's called a group governance. meetings and I'm responding to all of my internal staff their needs in terms of tools, resources, staff capacity, funding, technology, policies, leadership, support, everything they need in order to support the community's vision. Rebekah Kik (48:37.386) So that when I go out to the community to find out what the community wants us to do, my staff is prepared to do that work. Kevin K (48:48.258) I mean, I'm really just, I'm a little blown away by all this. I'm kind of having a hard time digesting and coming up with questions because it's so, I mean, obviously this is the work of an architect. I mean, right. I mean, clearly this is what you went to architecture school for, to help, you know, reorganize and prioritize city management and get everybody, you know, working together as a team. Why don't you tease out what may be, without naming names, like a couple of the challenges. Rebekah Kik (48:59.626) Right. Kevin K (49:16.322) along the way or maybe something you see as an opportunity by going through that kind of internal reassessment. Rebekah Kik (49:24.298) Yeah, I mean, number one, this group has no clue what I'm doing. Like, teamwork to a government, they're utterly confused. They do their work on their team, absolutely. Like, their work in their department in their division on their team. Completely on board with that. But understanding that they're part of a larger organization that may have to talk to each other. or know what someone else does at somebody else's job. It's been a real hurdle to get them to realize that it's not someone else's fault that they don't know what the reason someone else is doing something else. It's been tough. Survey after survey after survey or conversation after conversation people will constantly tell me What's the problem communication the problems communication? And then I will say well, how would you like to communicate it? Well And it's the same in the community as it is with my staff Well, I don't read email. Well, if you send me something more, I'm not gonna look at it. Okay. Well then Rebekah Kik (51:15.05) So tattoos, like what do you want me to do? I can't literally come and talk to you every single day. Carrier Vigin, like I can't help you not help yourself. So it's, I can only do what I can do. I think they've appreciated at least that I'm trying. Rebekah Kik (51:41.322) I have tried to create relationships with supervisors as far down into the organization as I possibly can. And I've tried to let them know that they must talk to their staff because I know they won't read the email and I know they won't read the posting that I put on the board. So I just really, really tried to compel them that they must talk to their staff. because that is really the only way that I know that they can get information that I really want them to have about something. And that's probably the best I can do. And I have worked really, really hard to help people in these cross -departmental teams. That's so far been my best. possible angle at getting people to understand each other as best I can. The first meetings are absolutely the best because when people look at each other across the table and they're like, why are we here together? This feels so weird. The first couple times and then they get it. And they're like, okay, okay, we're good now. But the first couple times, it's really awkward. Now we're okay. Kevin K (53:11.298) Yeah. I mean, it seems to be like a lot of what you describe is kind of the siloed nature of a lot of city government, which I've certainly experienced and continue to experience. And there's something interesting here though, that I think that may help you, you, you think about this differently than others. And I want to have you comment on this. And that is, you know, all those years that you spent doing design charrettes. you know, you and I both did a ton of those, we learned from all the other masters of the new urbanism. and they really, one of the things that that group did that people don't talk about as much that I think is incredible was this invention of the interdisciplinary design charrette. And, the whole notion being that we would get, everybody who needed to work together on a project in a room, for, you know, a week. and we'd spend a week together solving a problem together. And so you, we'd have, certainly we'd have architects and planners, but we also had engineers. you know, we had people who knew codes. we, we had everybody who might, we had developers and builders, anybody who might impact the built environment. And I think one of the things that I learned through that process, I'm curious if you did as well was just how, that inner, how well that interdisciplinary. process worked to solve problems and it was so much faster than a typical planning process. Rebekah Kik (54:48.298) Yeah, no question. The interdisciplinary process with all those perspectives is... probably the biggest lesson learned and probably the way that I think about things almost subconsciously. It's probably just built in to my thought process and I'm not even thinking about it, but yes, it's just there now. You're absolutely right, Kevin. It's probably just there now. Yeah, of course that's the way I'm. Kevin K (55:26.85) Yeah, it's like in the background, you think, obviously this is the way to do things. Yeah. Yeah. So you also mentioned that in your email to me that you've also had some success recently with some big grants to help with big projects. What are those all? Rebekah Kik (55:31.114) I'm going about things. Yeah. Rebekah Kik (55:44.938) Yes. So I was just reflecting on this because it has been such a labor of of love for a long time. And now I'm, it's one of those things where you just keep watering it and watering it and watering it. And now I am like seeing all of it come to fruition in such incredible ways. And the public works director and I were just like high -fiving like crazy yesterday. So 10 years ago when I started, Director Baker and I, when we started on Imagine Kalamazoo, we started writing our connected city chapter. We got bold and we decided we were gonna write a land use and transportation master plan. And because that's what I was writing when I was a consultant, right? And I said, look, this is the right thing to do. because I want to change the land use, you want to change the streets as well. And I said, we have to do this together. I can't change this built environment without you. And you don't want these streets to stay the same either. You know they're not safe. So we have to write this land use transportation plan together. We can't do that without two way traffic in our downtown. We can't do that without a network. And we got to really put pressure on Michigan Department of Transportation. So the first thing that we had to have happen was we had to put a lot of pressure on Michigan Department of Transportation. They, for lack of a better way to say it, they owned all of our trunk lines, which were our main streets, our main one -way pair, which kind of circled our downtown and our main east. Rebekah Kik (57:50.57) East West and our main North Souths. And we finally got, we had a couple of friendly people, one which was our region planner for MDOT in our area and the governor's liaison was a friend, Andrew Hahn and Jason Latham. And at that time, again, it's just city planner, but I knew the language. So we sat down with MDOT at that time. This was the first domino to fall. And I, again, city, sometimes I wonder, like the city was like, gosh, this girl's mouth. I just got in every meeting and I said, Kim, we studied the network. And they said, those aren't, those are your streets. These are our streets. And I said, yes, but can we study the network? No, we're going to study .streets and you're going to study your streets. And I said, but we're going to fail at your two -way network because we don't have the same values. Can we study the network? And then they said, well, maybe we should just give you the streets back. I said, OK, that sounds good. So we finally got them to give us the streets back. Kevin K (59:04.642) Hehehehe Hahaha. Rebekah Kik (59:16.298) And we got to study the network and we got to show everyone that the two way, the reversal, it works. We can restore two way traffic. And that's how we got the first raise planning grant. Thanks to Pete Buttigieg being, you know, in his seat as secretary of transportation. And because all of the the TIDER grants, the BUILD grants, everything before was never a planning grant. So a city the size of Kalamazoo, you don't have $6 million put up for engineering and planning of these streets, right? So we, this was monumental for a city of our size to get a planning grant. And that was it. That was the first. time we and with the MDOT transfer we got nearly 12 million dollars with that because it was like well MDOT said well we were going to spend 12 million dollars just milling and filling those roads so we'll give you the 12 million we got to put that money up with our act 51 dollars got the match we got the six million dollars to do the planning then we got the planning done now we could show we'll shovel ready And then Monday we just found out we got $25 million raised grant to do the construction for Kalamazoo Avenue or for Michigan Avenue because we already got $12 million reconnecting America grant for Kalamazoo Avenue. And yeah, by the way, we got $38 million protect grant because that's for the flooding that happens on Stadium Drive. So here we are, a hundred million dollars in little old Kalamazoo, Michigan, all because it's in, it's in Imagine Kalamazoo, it's in our master plan, it's in land use transportation, it's there, it says it, it transforms our community. Kevin K (01:01:39.714) That's really, that's an incredible story. That's really amazing. So clearly you have a staff of like about 200 people working with you, right? Rebekah Kik (01:01:47.242) You know, all five of us, we are like paralyzed. We're having a happy hour tomorrow. You're invited. Kevin K (01:01:55.138) Well, I, you know, I have, have long had this, suspicion that, or this belief that the most interesting work happening in our field is cities that were under like 50 ,000 people. And I see now, I think I just need to raise that threshold to like 75 ,000 to loop Kalamazoo in, but it is, it's amazing how often this happens that it's the smaller cities that are doing the most groundbreaking work and doing it. Rebekah Kik (01:02:14.797) Just a couple more. Kevin K (01:02:24.738) really well. That's pretty incredible. So now, you know, obviously Michigan is not exactly a booming state in terms of population. Have you seen an impact on the city's like economic fortunes with some of the planning work? Is the city growing at all or how's that work? Rebekah Kik (01:02:41.994) You know, we are and we aren't. I don't think at this point we're losing anyone, but we're certainly not booming in any capacity necessarily. No, we're not growing in any industry per se. pretty quiet there. I think we're just doing good, steady work and we're just trying to be great and steady and consistent and keep who we've got, you know? Kevin K (01:03:24.162) Well, it seems like in certainly in the Rust Belt, being able to keep who you've got, have happy citizens and have a high quality of life, you're like way ahead of the game. Rebekah Kik (01:03:35.85) Yeah, no question. No question. Kevin K (01:03:40.481) Yeah. Rebecca, this has been an incredible story. I'm sure there's a lot more to it. If people want to look up more about what you've done and what you're doing in Kalamazoo, what's the best way to do that? Rebekah Kik (01:03:55.978) Imagine Kalamazoo .com. It's, yeah, yeah, it's got the whole story. It's got a page with all our plans, our process, our public participation plan. We tried to codify it. It's got a toolkit. It's, you know, go to where people are and have fun. Yeah. Kevin K (01:03:58.242) Okay, that's straightforward. Rebekah Kik (01:04:24.202) It also if you go to Kalamazoo city org You can at the bottom of the page you can see the foundation for excellence story You can see our investments you can see the 50 million dollars that we've invested in our city in our neighborhoods you can Could check out that whole story. It's Really incredible and just know we're incredibly grateful for it. We understand what it means for us and Yeah, we don't take it for granted. Yeah, thanks, Kevin. Kevin K (01:04:58.666) that's fantastic. Rebecca, it's been great catching up. I really appreciate your time doing this and look forward to following more of what's going on in Kalamazoo. Rebekah Kik (01:05:08.874) Hey, I'm just grateful for that opportunity. Thanks for allowing me to catch up and share our unique story. Kevin K (01:05:15.618) my pleasure. Take care. Rebekah Kik (01:05:17.578) Yeah, take care, Kevin. Get full access to The Messy City at kevinklinkenberg.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we talk with Santosh Vangala, a structural engineer at AECOM, about how programming tech is transforming structural design, the importance of mastering engineering software early in your career, and the future of the structural engineering industry. ***The video version of this episode can be viewed here.*** Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of […] The post TSEC 132: How Breakthrough Programming Tech Is Shaping Structural Engineering appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

Despite the ongoing war and the destruction of nearly half its power infrastructure since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine is determined to emerge stronger and greener. This episode delves into Ukraine's bold vision to become Europe's new green energy hub.  Remarkably, Ukraine constructed more onshore wind turbines in 2022 than England, showcasing its commitment to renewable energy even amidst conflict.  The Tyligulska wind farm, for example – the first to be built in a conflict zone – is now generating enough clean energy to power around 200,000 homes just 60 miles from the frontline.   Tune in to hear more about on the radical reshaping of Ukraine's energy landscape and the lessons it can teach us.  ------------  Welcome to season 3 of AECOM's Talking Infrastructure podcast. Talking Infrastructure delves into the industry's hot topics, key projects, and the ground-breaking innovations that are helping to solve some of the world's most complex infrastructure challenges.   We'll be discussing everything from driving cost and time efficiencies within the rail industry to the importance of collaboration in bringing hydrogen projects forward.    ----------------  About the host  

In Season 7, Episode 10, host Sarah Thorne and cohost Jeff King, National Lead of the Engineering With Nature (EWN) Program, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), continue their in-depth conversation with Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist of The Nature Conservancy (TNC). In Part 2 of our special 3-part series, Katharine talks about taking action—living according to your values and making changes that contribute to climate solutions—and about the critical role of nature-based solutions (NBS) in addressing climate change. To live up to her personal climate action values Katharine measured her own carbon footprint 12 years ago and when she found that travel was the largest factor, she successfully transitioned over 80% of her talks to virtual. “Then the pandemic hit and I was ready to go.” She notes that when she does travel for an important event, she “bundles” other meetings and speaking opportunities around that event. “When I went to the climate COP two years ago in Egypt, I packed in 55 panels, meetings, talks, and events.”Katharine believes that communicating the message that climate action is a collective effort that all people can meaningfully contribute to, is essential. “People are worried about climate change, but they don't know what to do about it.” Picking up the analogy she used in S7E9 comparing the work of addressing climate change to moving a giant boulder, Katharine adds: “If we feel like we're the only hands on the boulder that we're trying to roll uphill, we will despair. But if we realize there are millions of hands on the boulder, in every country around the world, then we realize we're not alone. That global connectivity is absolutely essential to fixing this problem.”Katharine goes on to talk about the critical role of NBS as part of the response to climate change, noting that the IPCC estimates that 25% of present-day emissions could be addressed by NBS. “If I see a newspaper headline saying, ‘Is this a silver bullet for climate change?', I can tell you the answer is no. But I like to say there's a lot of silver buckshot, and nature is one of our biggest pieces of silver buckshot. I mean, 25% of the climate change pie? That is huge!” She adds that NBS also produces multiple benefits, and notes: “Nature is all through these climate solutions. In fact, I don't think there's any way for us to meet our commitments made in the Paris Agreement in 2015, in any way, shape, or form, if we leave nature out of the equation.”Jeff is highly complimentary of TNC's work on NBS and highlights the important contribution of TNC in bringing organizations together to collaborate on NBS initiatives such as the Natural Infrastructure Initiative that TNC led along with Caterpillar, USACE, the University of Georgia, and Ducks Unlimited. “When you put TNC in a room with, say, an AECOM or a Great Lakes Dredge and Dock, people start scratching their heads saying, ‘Hmm, what's this all about?' TNC brings so much interest and awareness to this space, showing how very different entities can work collaboratively to accomplish many of the same goals and objectives that we all share.”Our conversation with Katharine concludes in Episode 11, which posts on June 26. In our final episode of this series, Katharine focuses on inspiring action, how to learn more about climate change, and how to talk about it with others. We hope you enjoy this special series!!For more information and resource links, please visit the EWN Podcast page on the EWN website at https://www.engineeringwithnature.org/  •      Jeff King at LinkedIn•      Katharine Hayhoe at LinkedIn 

Note: This is a live episode recorded from the Association For Talent Development (ATD) International Conference and Expo in New Orleans.Kimberly Currier is the Global Vice President of Learning at AECOM.  As a Global Leader of Learning, Kimberly has a large responsibility in shaping the talent and learning strategy at AECOM.In this conversation live from ATD '24 in New Orleans, Kimberly shared her thoughts trends on what she is following as a talent development leader, as well as her thoughts on relevant skills for talent development leaders to stay ahead in today's changing world of work.

In this heartwarming and insightful episode of "Stepping into your Leadership," host Christine Courtney welcomes two very special guests—her sisters, Diane Cowan and Ingrid Emerick. Both exceptional leaders in their respective fields, Diane and Ingrid join Christine to delve into the transformative power of storytelling in business and leadership.Christine, brimming with excitement, kicks off the episode with introductions, showcasing Diane's impressive portfolio as the Senior Vice President and Global Transit Director at AECOM and Ingrid's notable achievements as President of Girl Friday Productions. Together, they explore how storytelling isn't just a tool for marketing or sales, but a critical element that permeates all areas of their work—from community engagement in large-scale infrastructure projects to creating lasting connections in the world of book publishing.Through personal anecdotes and professional experiences, Diane and Ingrid share their unique perspectives on how to harness the power of stories to build authentic connections, evoke emotion, and influence change. They also touch on the challenges of storytelling in a global context and the importance of understanding diverse audiences.The episode wraps up with a rapid round robin of practical storytelling tips—from practicing vulnerability and authenticity to employing tools like music and imagery to enhance storytelling impact.Join Christine and her sisters for an episode filled with laughter, tears, and fascinating insights into the art of storytelling. Whether you're a seasoned executive, a budding entrepreneur, or simply someone who loves a good story, this episode is sure to inspire and delight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with another installment of Talking Infrastructure—and this time we're live at UKREiiF: the UK's real estate investment and infrastructure forum.  In this episode, James Banks hosts a live panel discussion about the people-centric strategies needed to navigate the energy transition in an equitable way.  ------------  Welcome to season 3 of AECOM's Talking Infrastructure podcast. Talking Infrastructure delves into the industry's hot topics, key projects, and the ground-breaking innovations that are helping to solve some of the world's most complex infrastructure challenges.   We'll be discussing everything from driving cost and time efficiencies within the rail industry to the importance of collaboration in bringing hydrogen projects forward.    ----------------  About the host  

At the Post Office Field, the Ennis 2040 DAC is planning to build an elevated boardwalk over the River Fergus. It's claimed the development will provide the equivalent of €7m in health benefits, with a study carried by AECOM stating the new place to socialise and exercise will significantly reduce mortality rates and workplace absenteeism. But 'Hands Off Our Post Office Field' member, Bernie O'Gorman believes building there will inevitably harm the ecosystem's unique wildlife.

In this episode, we are sharing a panel discussion hosted by the ASCE, where I joined Reuben Zylstra, P.E., P.Eng, from Foothills Bridge, and Carla C. Norris, P.E., from AECOM, to discuss transitioning into a civil engineering manager role. ***The video version of this episode can be viewed here.*** Engineering Quotes: Here Are Some of […] The post TCEP 262: How to Become a Successful Civil Engineering Manager appeared first on Engineering Management Institute.

S3E05: Ride the Change: shifting gears towards climate action  For Earth Day 2024, we're proud to be sponsoring the Ride the Change bike ride, an epic journey that spans the UK, Holland and Belgium. By raising climate pledges instead of cash, the ride – organised by Do Nation – aims to encourage simple, sustainable actions.   70 cyclists representing AECOM and other organisations travelled from the UK and Europe to take part in the event, including our podcast host James Banks. To mark this milestone, we bring you a special live episode from the Atomium in Brussels, where the ride culminates.   Join James as he speaks to four other participants and attendees for a post-ride discussion on the future of energy and transport. As well as sharing stories from the road, they'll dive into the ways we can collectively work together to achieve a just transition.  Speakers include:   • Miet Luyckx, Programme Management Director for Benelux, AECOM  • Ajai Ahluwalia, Head of Supply Chain, Renewables UK  • Lars Verkerk, Strategic Alliance Manager, Johnson Controls   • Andrew Griffiths, Director of Policy & Partnerships at PlanetMark   -------------- Welcome to season 3 of AECOM's Talking Infrastructure podcast. Talking Infrastructure delves into the industry's hot topics, key projects, and the ground-breaking innovations that are helping to solve some of the world's most complex infrastructure challenges.  We'll be discussing everything from driving cost and time efficiencies within the rail industry to the importance of collaboration in bringing hydrogen projects forward.   ---------------- About the host 

Kevin Frank is an accomplished wastewater process engineer with over two decades of experience in the field of civil infrastructure and environmental engineering. Since beginning his career in 2002 at the Scranton wastewater treatment plant in northeastern Pennsylvania, Kevin has honed his expertise in water quality and purification. He holds a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering from Wilkes University and completed a master's degree at Penn State while working full-time. Presently, Kevin is a dedicated employee of AECOM, where he has worked for 17 years, lending his extensive knowledge to consulting engineering with a focus on enhancing nutrient removal processes and wastewater treatment design. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-infrastructure/message

Sonya Shelton is the CEO and founder of Executive Leadership Consulting (ELC) and the author of the #1 Amazon bestselling book “You're an Executive, But Are You a Leader?”. She and her team work with executives and business owners to create growth with their proven Red Thread Leadership model. As an international speaker, coach and consultant, Sonya has worked with senior executives at companies around the world from start-ups to Fortune 100 corporations, including Disney, Nestlé, AECOM, and Microsoft. She is a certified Master Corporate Executive Coach and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. In this episode of the Woman of Value Podcast: The definition of true leadership Why it's important to start with your “WHY” How to discover your purpose https://executiveleader.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceosonyashelton/ https://twitter.com/sonyashelton Subscribe/Rate/Review the Woman of Value Podcast! ►► Apple Podcasts http://bit.ly/womanofvalue ►► Spotify http://bit.ly/wovspotify or wherever you listen to podcasts! ►► Get a copy of Sandy's book, Becoming a Woman of Value; How to Thrive in Life and Love https://bit.ly/womanofvaluebook

The last in a series of special live editions recorded at the Sustainable Cities in Action Forum at Expo City Dubai. Tom Edwards hosts a discussion on “the living city”, featuring insights from director of ESG and innovation Middle East and Africa at AECOM, Farah Naz; founder and director of Future Places, Juan Carlos Belloso; associate urban planner and Middle East sustainability leader at Arup, Ghaith Tibi; and Monocle's editor in chief, Andrew Tuck. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aaron Thweatt is a dynamic executive coach and seasoned HR professional who strongly believes in the power of an individual's potential. His mission is to create meaningful connections between talent, ambition, and purpose by empowering executives and entrepreneurs to bridge the gaps in their personal and business lives, allowing them to thrive in their zone of genius. Before establishing his practice, Respark Coaching, Aaron forged an impressive career across diverse industries, including financial services, oil and gas, sales and marketing, human resources, and program management. During his tenure, he was pivotal in shaping executive and broad-based compensation strategies for esteemed companies such as AECOM, Activision Blizzard, SpaceX, and DoorDash. These experiences revealed to him unique insights into the inner workings of high-performing individuals and teams tackling the most audacious creative and technical challenges.

Welcome to season 3 of AECOM's Talking Infrastructure podcast. Talking Infrastructure delves into the industry's hot topics, key projects, and the ground-breaking innovations that are helping to solve some of the world's most complex infrastructure challenges.  We'll be discussing everything from driving cost and time efficiencies within the rail industry to the importance of collaboration in bringing hydrogen projects forward.  Episode 4: The net zero divide: how do we ensure no community is left behind?  For this episode, our host James Banks is joined by Emma Fletcher, Low Carbon Homes Director at Octopus Energy and Helena Rivers, AECOM's net zero lead for the built environment to discuss the challenges and opportunities in achieving net zero.   From the importance of retrofitting homes and buildings to enhance energy efficiency to the latest green technology improving heat networks, our speakers explore how we can reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment – and why a people-centric approach is key.  Central to the conversation is how we can meet our climate goals whilst addressing the disparities and inequalities between communities to ensure that no one is left behind.   As well as busting some common myths, our speakers tackle questions such as:  • What does 'net zero' really mean and why is it vital for our future?  • What role does technology play in making homes more energy-efficient and sustainable?  • How can we effectively engage the public and bridge the knowledge gap?  • How can global cooperation and policies accelerate the move towards net zero?    Plus, Emma shares the creative ways that Octopus is reshaping public perceptions towards green energy – including a touring wind turbine named Gusty Springfield.  Expert speakers:  • Emma Fletcher, Low Carbon Homes Director, Octopus Energy  • Helena Rivers, AECOM Net zero lead     About the host  James Banks, Director of Marketing and Communications. Been at AECOMnfor 6 years.   Hosting the Talking Infrastructure is a real highlight of my role at AECOM. Having launched the podcast back in 2019. I've seen it grow from something that was, to be honest, a bit of an experiment, to something that is now adding real value to our clients and the industry. With a growing and diverse audience, I'm always amazed when I receive emails and social comments from listeners all over the world. So, keep them coming!     Useful links:  • Podcast survey – take part in our podcast survey to help shape the future of the podcast. You could win your very own exclusive Talking Infrastructure podcast (T&Cs apply): https://forms.office.com/r/6DcYTjsgza   • Come and work for AECOM: discover the recruitment opportunities here: https://aecom.jobs   • Get a copy of our FOI report here: https://infrastructure.aecom.com/ 

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Jerich Beason, CISO at WM, joins the show to discuss becoming a CISO. Before joining WM, Jerich served in various roles at Lockheed Martin, RSA, Capital One, AECOM, and Deloitte.Jerich talks about how he tailored his roles throughout his career, learning communication soft skills and his passion for sharing with others. Hear about how AI affects leadership, how Jerich would change the cybersecurity industry, and the true value of vendors (it's positive!).Timestamp Segments·       [02:51] When Jerich knew he wanted to be a CISO.·       [04:52] Tailoring the roles.·       [06:02] What is Jerich most proud of?·       [07:17] Jerich's best advice.·       [13:22] Transitioning away from geek-speak.·       [17:29] When Jerich developed the passion.·       [20:28] The PRIME framework.·       [25:20] What should be talked about with AI?·       [29:09] What would Jerich change about the cybersecurity industry?·       [30:33] Hiring the right people.·       [33:37] How Jerich stays sharp.·       [35:06] The value of vendors. Notable Quotes·       “Not every issue warrants a ‘sky is falling' alert.”·       “When it comes time to leave, leave a legend.”·       “We don't exist without vendors.” Relevant LinksWebsite:          www.wm.comLinkedIn:         Jerich BeasonSecure applications from code to cloud. Prisma Cloud, the most complete cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP).Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

In less than a year, France will play host to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The opening ceremony will be played out along the River Seine in the nation's capital city Paris. The Seine is also set to be the scene of the open-water swimming events and work is now being done to make sure the polluted waterway will be clean and safe enough for the Olympic participants. To accommodate the expected influx of visitors to the Games, new transport links are been built. Whilst its already been acknowledged that some of the network is planned to link up a number of Olympic sites, it won't be ready in time for the Games. There are plans to provide extra river boats and cycle lanes.In addition to all this is the question of whether the French themselves are in the mood to celebrate the Games. This summer saw waves of social and political unrest in the country, but traditional sporting events like the Rugby World Cup have played a role in bringing the country together.This week on The Inquiry, we're asking ‘Is Paris Ready for the 2024 Olympics?' Contributors: Jean-Marie Mouchel, Professor of Hydrology, Sorbonne University, Paris, France Florence Villeminot, Journalist and Presenter, France 24, Paris, France Bill Hanway, Global Sports Leader, AECOM, Dallas, Texas, USA Rainbow Murray, Professor of Politics, Queen Mary University of LondonPresenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Jill Collins Researcher: Matt Toulson Technical Producer: Kelly Young Production Co-ordinator: Jordan King Editor Tara McDermottPhoto: Olympic Rings to celebrate the IOC official announcement that Paris won the 2024 Olympic bid are seen in front of the Eiffel Tower at the Trocadero square in Paris, France, September 16, 2017. Credit: Reuters