Bridging the Gap: Insights & Innovations in Construction

Adapting to Disruption

Has your company embraced new ways to make projects easier and more efficient? Would you consider yourself a supporter of that early adaptation or more of a laggard? Join host Todd and guest Kyle Peacock of Peacock Construction Inc. as they discuss adapting to on-site disruption, how Peacock Construction Inc. has successfully automated their mandatory safety check-ins, and the benefits of being an early adapter to this recent disruption. 
 
Kyle Peacock is the President and CEO of Peacock Construction Inc. Keeper of the vision, Kyle considers it an honor to lead Peacock Construction as it continues to grow and evolve. Kyle got his start managing construction for Boston Properties, then joined Peacock as a Project Manager, eventually becoming CEO. A favorite project was the renovation of a 22,000 square-foot forensic lab for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Keeping the job running efficiently while the lab continued to operate was a technical challenge, but one Kyle thoroughly enjoyed. When he's not working, there's nothing Kyle likes more than being outdoors and if it's with his family, even better.

Labor Shortage or Delusion?

We’ve heard that the biggest problem facing construction is the skilled labor shortage, but what if it’s just a delusion? Join host Todd and guest Todd Dawalt of The Construction Leading Edge podcast as they discuss if the labor shortage is just a symptom of a larger problem. They also tackle questions like: is there a better way to do things, or do you search for new and innovative ways to look at construction? How do you make employees and customers feel valuable and important to your business? 
Todd Dawalt is an Executive Business Coach on The Construction Leading Edge podcast. He helps construction business owners to boost revenue, put financial worries behind them, and turn their company into a well-oiled, profitable machine. He also has a website (www.constructionleadingedge.com) dedicated to helping construction leaders grow their leadership skills, business, and income.

Connecting Construction

What’s the biggest problem facing the construction industry right now? On the surface, some of the biggest problems aren’t easy to see. Join host Todd and guest John Reid of Faber Connect as they talk about how new technologies are changing the game, the need for skilled trades and labor, and why construction firms need to begin to embrace innovation and technology. 
John Reid is the Co-founder of Faber Connect, a construction software platform that lets construction companies connect with construction workers. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, skiing and exploring new innovative industries.

Using Data to Advance Construction

What’s your stance on adopting new technology in the construction industry? With the growth in venture capital investment and the adoption of new ideas, it’s certainly an exciting industry to be a part of. Join host Todd and guest Mallorie Brodie of Bridgit as they talk about pushing the industry forward, data versus the “gut instinct,” and the newest challenges of social distancing on the job site. 
Mallorie Brodie is the CEO and Co-Founder of Bridgit. She holds an Honors degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business, and has almost 10 years of entrepreneurial experience. She holds various entrepreneurial awards, including receiving the top prize at the 2015 Google Demo Day, being named Techvibes Entrepreneur of the Year, being named to the 2019 Forbes Manufacturing & Industry 30 Under 30, and being named to the Best Of Canada Forbes Under 30 Innovators list.

MEP Force 2020 Edition: Day 3 Recap

When you attend a jam-packed conference (like MEP Force), you have watched all the keynotes, attended your favorite breakout sessions, and hopped on a Zoom call for networking, how do you keep the conversation moving forward after the event ends? Rob McKinney, Nathan Wood, Travis Voss, and James Simpson have joined Todd Weyandt on the Bridging the Gap Podcast again to answer this very question. 
The answer is so simple that it might surprise you. 
Tune in to this episode to see how to push the momentum of a changing industry forward and get an in-depth recap of the final day of MEP Force 2020. Check out the previous two episodes to catch up on the first two days of the conference.

MEP Force 2020 Edition: Day 2 Recap

What do get when you pack over 200 industry professionals into one Zoom meeting? If you guessed 'have a virtual party', 'create an amazing conversation', 'push the industry forward', 'get a cooking demonstration', 'learn BBQ tips from a professional', or 'learn a new margarita recipe', you'd be correct! 
In this episode we too a look at Day 2 of MEP Force 2020 on the Bridging the Gap Podcast. This special episode took place during a Virtual House Party. If you have attended MEP Force in person, then you know that the Block Party is one of the best parts of the whole event. Since we have a virtual conference this year, we switched it up a little bit. We featured a round table from some industry and podcast veterans: Rob McKinney, Nathan Wood, Travis Voss, and James Simpson, and the conversation that unfolded from there was nothing short of amazing. 
As the conversation kicked off, other special guests joined in, including: Kyle Speropoulous of MMC Contractors, Darren Young of Hermanson Company, Jeff Sample of eSUB, Jason Barber of Manufacton, Travis Althouse and Mark T. Jones of Revizto, Tim Vock of Gibson Electric Co, Saeed Eslami of VisualLive. 
Amy Marks of Autodesk, David Francis of ICT Tracker, Mike Zivanovic, Jason Ashburn, Ken Schneider of UA-ITF and Phil Nimmo of MCA also received shout outs from the crowd. 
Make sure to check out the recap from day 1 of the conference and don't miss the story from day 3 tomorrow!

MEP Force 2020 Edition: Day 1 Recap

LIVE: A look at Day 1 of MEP Force 2020 on the Bridging the Gap Podcast. This special episode features a round table from some industry and podcast veterans: Rob McKinney, Nathan Wood, Travis Voss, and James Simpson. They unpack the biggest trends and conversations coming out of the conference and the trades. Two of our biggest takeaways? 1) Tons of folks in the industry (1300 of them!) are hungry to network and connect. 2) Amy Marks' Keynote, The Rise of the Subcontractor struck a chord with listeners across the globe. Some more about the amazing panel joining us this week: 
As the Executive Director of the Construction Progress Coalition and host of the #SharedPains Podcast, Nathan Wood understands how rewarding the design and construction process can be when technology and culture embrace a new era of innovation. 
Known as the ConAppGuru and a co-host on the ConTech Crew Podcast, Rob McKinney is a self-taught construction technologist who began his construction career as the Safety Director for JM Wilkerson Construction. He is now on a mission to educate the industry about the uses for new apps and technology on projects. 
As the Product Manager for eVolve Mechanical, James Simpson has a passion for driving innovation utilizing ConTech applications. He has a self-proclaimed “OCD for innovation” and is leading the charge in revolutionizing the industry as well as developing all those in it. 
As the Leader of Innovative Technology at Mechanical, Inc., Travis Voss uses his background in the tech field to explore, adapt and perhaps develop technologies and workflows for the construction industry as I thrust into its digital transformation. 
Stay tuned as we unpack day 2 and 3 of this great conference.

The Power and Potential of AI

Join host Todd and Nathan Kirchner of as they discuss the intricacies of tracking AI software, situational awareness, and the issues of safety and work vs. idealization. Also, learn more about three things that matter when it comes to AI: vigilance, reliability, and consistency. 
Nathan Kirchner is the Founder and CTO at Presien - a cutting edge AI vision systems, a Special Advisor for Robotics, Ventures at one of the world’s largest private construction companies, a Director of the Robotics Australia Group peak body, and sits on the Advisory Board of Queensland Robotics. He is an active academic researcher in robotics as an Honorary Professor at both the University of Technology Sydney and at Ohio State University. Previously to this he served multiple academic appointments at Stanford University. Dr Kirchner's specialty is uncovering and imagining opportunities for emergent robotics & future technologies in the real world and forging viable R&D to Deployment (R&D2D) pathways to their realization.

Becoming a Better Leader

Join host Todd and guest Lt. General Robert “Bob” Caslen, Jr., president of the University of South Carolina, as they discuss the importance of character in leadership. Through Caslen’s time in the military, he has seen all kinds of leaders up close. Todd and Bob talk through the need to consistently perform to the upper level of your potential, and how to develop the leadership traits that are best suited to you. Learn more about the importance of character, determination, values and how that reflects on the people you lead.
Lt. General Robert Caslen, Jr. has been serving the people of South Carolina as president of their flagship university, the University of South Carolina, and president of the University of South Carolina System.He is the former Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and his principal mission was to build leaders and leaders of character. He has worked in strategic planning and policy formulation and in executive management implementing strategic plans. He is a retired general officer of the U.S. Army, and he served on NCAA Division 1 Board of Directors and Board of Governors. He also served as Co-Chair of the Commission to Eliminate Sexual Violence on College Campuses.
 
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The Rise of the Subcontractor

Join host Todd and guests “Queen of Prefab” Amy Marks of Autodesk, David Evans of Starr Electric, and Bob Snyder of Binsky and Snyder as they discuss misconceptions about prefabrication, increasing lack of labor and complexity of design, and what productization has to do with the rise of the subcontractor. Learn more about how education and proof of existence is changing the mindset around prefabrication, achieving longevity in the industry, and the new Industrial Revolution.
Want to hear more from Amy Marks? You can at MEP Force 2020. She will be the featured keynote on August 31st. Register today.
Amy Marks is the head of industrialized construction strategy and evangelism at Autodesk; she is known throughout the construction industry as the "Queen of Prefab." A graduate of the University of Florida and an alumna of Harvard Business School, Marks is the former CEO of XSite Modular, a leading prefabrication consultancy and design-builder of critical infrastructure buildings. As a prefabrication consultant, she defined the language and process that is adopted by companies, countries, and builders around the world.
David Evans is a Senior Vice President for Starr Electric Company, Inc. and a 25-year construction industry veteran. David helped found the modular division at Starr Electric Company and has helped create new techniques in prefabrication and modular construction such as interior and exterior electrical rooms, power skids, battery storage, and other electrical modular capabilities. David is a licensed general contractor and brings an expanded way of modular thinking to Starr Electric Company.
 
Bob Snyder is the CEO of Binsky and Snyder. As a fourth-generation owner, Bob has worked and been involved in the mechanical contracting industry since his youth. As a graduate engineer, Bob has strong technical and design aptitude and has a vast understanding of both conceptual and technical aspects of mechanical systems. Bob has devoted significant time to the Mechanical Contracting Association of New Jersey and Industry Council, currently sits on the Board of Directors, and holds the position of Secretary/Treasurer. In addition, Bob has served as a Trustee on Plumbers Local 24 and currently on Pipefitters Local 475.
 
Thanks for listening! Please be sure to leave a rating and/or review and follow up our social accounts.
 
 
Podcast listeners can register for MEP Force Virtual for ONLY $99 with the code BTG99. Register Today.
 
Sign up for newsletter
Follow us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Instagram
Bridging the Gap Podcast Website
Todd’s LinkedIn
 
Thank you to our sponsors!
Applied Software
Applied Software LinkedIn
 
Other Relevant Links:
Amy’s LinkedIn
Autodesk Construction Cloud
Starr Electric Company
Binsky & Snyder