Built In Boots

In this episode of Built In Boots, Mark Payne sits down with Nick Beach, Connor Compton, and Adam Winter to talk about the paths that brought them from Alfred State to the construction industry.

They discuss the value of hands-on education, gaining experience in the field, and the role mentorship plays in building a career. Nick also shares his journey from studying Heavy Equipment Operations to becoming an instructor and staying connected to the industry through his work with DDS.

From operating equipment to exploring leadership and management opportunities, the conversation highlights the many directions a career in construction can take and the experiences that help shape the next generation of the industry.

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

In this episode of Built In Boots, Mark Payne sits down with Broome-Tioga BOCES heavy equipment students Michael Roma, Jonah Saunders, and Josh Coleman following their first-place finish at the New York State SkillsUSA competition.

The students share how they found their way into the trades, the safety-focused projects that helped take them to the top at SkillsUSA, and what they’ve learned through hands-on education. They also discuss preparing for the national competition, their career goals, and how programs like BOCES are helping prepare the next generation for careers in construction and the skilled trades

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

Built in Boots is back. Here is where DDS is headed.

After a brief hiatus, the Built in Boots Podcast returns for Season 2 with Mike Fallat, President of DDS, and Mark Payne, Director of Training & Compliance. Together, they reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of 2025, discuss the opportunities shaping 2026, and share how DDS continues to invest in its people, culture, and long-term success. 

From staying connected with crews in the field to developing the next generation of talent, this conversation provides an inside look at the company's direction and the mindset driving its continued growth. Midway through the episode, Communications Specialist JuWan Graham joins the discussion to share his perspective as a newer member of the team and what he's learned while experiencing the wide range of work taking place across DDS. 

What we cover in this episode:

•  Why Built in Boots is back and the impact it has had on employees and new hires 
•  Lessons, challenges, and accomplishments that shaped 2025 
•  The opportunities and outlook guiding DDS through 2026 
•  Why staying connected to crews in the field remains a leadership priority 
•  How training, safety, and continuous improvement support long-term success 
•  Developing the next generation through internships and workforce development 
•  Recruiting, retaining, and growing a strong team 
•  The value of collaboration across DDS and the broader Artera family 
•  Why investing in people remains the foundation of the company's future 

If you're part of the DDS team, considering a career in the industry, or interested in learning more about the people behind the work, this episode offers an honest conversation about leadership, opportunity, and building what's next together.

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

This high school program has a waitlist every year. Here's why.

In this episode of the Built In Boots Podcast, we welcome Dan and Josh Coleman from the Broome-Tioga BOCES Heavy Equipment Program. Dan, a veteran instructor with 16 years of experience, shares the inner workings of a program that’s building the future of the construction industry—literally. With a fully immersive two-year hands-on curriculum, high student demand, and real job placement success, this is more than just a school program. It’s a pipeline into the trades.

Mark Payne and Griffin Haley sit down with Dan and Josh to explore how BOCES creates real-world readiness for students—many of whom find their careers before even graduating high school. From fifth-grade excavator camps to co-op partnerships with local contractors and even Peterbilt dealerships, this episode is packed with powerful takeaways for educators, employers, and future tradespeople alike.

What we cover in this episode:

• How BOCES built a program that now has a consistent waitlist
• Their annual Skills Rodeo and its impact on student engagement
• Why early exposure—starting in 5th grade—is a game changer
• The two-year curriculum: hands-on equipment operation and repair
• Why some students discover they’re mechanics, not operators
• CDL training, GPS tech, and what’s next for the program
• Real-world job placement: students working at Peterbilt, paving crews, and family farms
• Culture fit and co-op success stories (and failures) that helped shape careers
• The impact of instructors who double as mentors and role models
• The power of visual learning—why drones are now part of the classroom

If you’re in education, construction, or just care about building the next generation, this episode offers a powerful look at what works—and why.

Keywords: Heavy equipment training, construction careers, BOCES, trades education, underground utilities, civil construction, CDL, vocational education, job placement, co-op programs, GPS training, youth in trades, equipment operator, diesel tech, safety, drone training

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

You Can’t Automate Culture: Leadership Lessons from Construction Software Xeratec’s Founders

What happens when a former Army Ranger with a passion for people and a seasoned software developer with deep industry chops team up to serve the construction industry?

In this episode of Built In Boots, co-hosts Griffin Haley and DDS’s Mike Fallat sit down with Jordan and Brett Hillstrom, the founding brothers behind Xeratec, a software development firm laser-focused on solving real problems in the trades.

Jordan Hillstrom, a combat veteran and Chief Revenue Officer at Xeratec, brings boots-on-the-ground leadership and a disruptor’s mindset to the table.
Brett Hillstrom, Xeratec’s President and senior developer, leads product strategy with over two decades of experience in building agile, custom solutions that evolve with the companies they serve.

Together, they’re redefining how construction companies think about technology—not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a tool to unlock efficiency, improve culture, and elevate the trades.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• Why Brett and Jordan believe culture readiness is more important than tech readiness
• How DDS and Xeratec first connected through a 5 AM workout at the Dirt World Summit
• The surprising story of how their father founded Xeratec after teaching himself to code
• What “start at the end” means—and why you shouldn’t adopt new tools until you define the real problem
• How simple field tasks create ripple effects across the entire organization
• What companies get wrong about custom software (and what to do instead)
• The critical link between ownership, storytelling, and high-performing field teams
• Why the Hillstroms prioritize servant leadership and mentorship through programs like Fire Pit Ranch
• Why every team—from five people to 500—needs to invest in systems that reflect their unique workflows

Whether you’re a project manager tired of clunky field reports or a company owner looking for your next strategic move, this conversation is full of honest insights, real-world lessons, and the kind of leadership that makes the trades better for everyone.

Listen now to discover why the future of construction is built on questions—not just code.

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

In Part Two of our powerful two-part conversation, host Mark Payne returns to sit down with the Field Precision crew—Cruz Gonzalez, Mark Todd Wiggins, and Matt Peterson—to go deeper on what it really takes to lead underground in today’s utility and construction trades.

Field Precision OQ & Training is renowned for their mobile Operator Qualification evaluations, hands-on safety training, and field-first mentorship model that empowers natural gas crews nationwide. In this episode, we explore the responsibilities and rewards of mentorship, the challenges of scaling leadership, and how to leave a lasting legacy in the trenches.

Whether you’re a foreman, safety director, or trades apprentice, this episode delivers candid insights on how to grow your team, sustain high standards, and own the weight of leadership in high-stakes environments.

Key Takeaways:

• Why mentorship is the cornerstone of sustainable field leadership
• Strategies for scaling crew performance without sacrificing quality
• How to balance accountability with empathy as a field leader
• Real-world examples of passing on culture and standards to the next generation
• Lessons on owning your legacy every time you step into the trench

Perfect For:

• Construction managers aiming to develop next-level mentors
• Utility supervisors responsible for crew development and safety compliance
• Safety directors and OQ coordinators seeking fresh field perspectives
• Aspiring field leaders and tradespeople hungry for practical leadership advice

Stay tuned through the end—because the lessons from Field Precision continue to set the standard for leadership underground.

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

In Part One of this powerful two-part conversation, host Mark Payne sits down with the crew from Field Precision—Cruz Gonzalez, Mark Todd Wiggins, and Matt Peterson—to explore what real leadership looks like on the ground in today’s construction and utility trades.

Field Precision OQ & Training is known across the natural gas and underground utility industries for their hands-on Operator Qualification training and field-first approach to workforce development. In this episode, the conversation focuses on the values that drive performance in the field, including pride in your work, building strong crews, and leading by example.

Whether you're a foreman, superintendent, or new to the trades, this episode delivers raw insights on how to earn respect, build trust, and maintain high standards in high-stakes environments.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of accountability, brotherhood, and real relationships on the jobsite
• How Field Precision builds leadership from within, starting with humility and consistency
• What “taking pride in the pipe” means and how it shapes their standard of quality
• Why field leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about your actions when nobody’s watching
• Behind-the-scenes stories from underground gas crews raising the bar in the field

Perfect For:

• Construction leaders looking to elevate their crews
• Utility professionals navigating gas distribution projects
• Safety directors and OQ compliance managers
• Field-level tradespeople seeking mentorship and growth

Stay tuned through the end—because Part Two takes the conversation to another level.

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

In this episode of the Built In Boots Podcast, we dive deep into the world of finance at DDS with Patrick Climie and Jackson Parker from the Viper Squad—an integral team that connects the dots between operations and financial management. Whether it's translating operational data for accounting or ensuring financial information is actionable for project managers, the Viper Squad plays a crucial role in keeping DDS’s projects on track and profitable.

Why listen to this episode?
In this candid conversation, Patrick and Jackson share their career journeys, from unexpected beginnings to landing at DDS, and provide valuable insights into the importance of collaboration, data, and service in the construction industry. Here’s what you’ll gain by tuning in:

• A behind-the-scenes look at the Viper Squad's role in bridging finance and operations at DDS
• The impact of data-driven decision-making in construction finance and operations with tools like Power BI
• Personal stories of Patrick and Jackson’s career paths—how they transitioned from completely different industries into finance roles at DDS
• The value of being humble and curious: Why asking the right questions can lead to career growth and innovation
• How DDS fosters a service-first culture and what it’s like to work in a team that is dedicated to adding value across departments
• Real-world lessons on handling challenges, from project tracking to financial reporting, and how they impact DDS’s bottom line
• The role of finance in shaping DDS's growth, with an emphasis on managing project performance and profitability
• Why safety and teamwork are core values: How the Viper Squad integrates financial management with safety, payroll, HR, and project performance

Patrick and Jackson also discuss their experience at DDS’s Leadership Summit, where they interacted with foremen, supervisors, and GMs, gaining valuable insights into the field that influence their work behind the scenes. Whether you’re in finance, operations, or the field, this episode offers a unique perspective on the intersection of all these roles.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of financial visibility: How data and finance play a huge role in running construction projects efficiently and profitably
• Working with Power BI: How this tool provides real-time data and enables better decision-making for project managers, GMs, and team leaders
• The power of collaboration and trust: How the Viper Squad builds relationships across departments to ensure everyone has the information they need to succeed
• Humility and learning: Why it’s essential to stay humble and open-minded, especially when starting out in a new industry or role

If you’ve ever wondered how financial and operational data come together in a construction company, or if you want to hear firsthand how a finance team can impact both the field and the office, this episode is for you.

Don’t miss out on this insightful conversation with two of DDS’s most dedicated team members.
➡️ Hit play and learn how the Viper Squad makes it all come together.
Subscribe now and share this episode with someone who could benefit from understanding how finance drives success in construction!

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

In this insightful episode of the Built in Boots Podcast, hosts Jordan Potter and Mark Payne sit down with DDS’s Director of Safety, Ryan Burke, for an engaging conversation about building a powerful safety culture within DDS. Ryan shares his unique journey into the world of construction safety—starting from his early days working in his family's general contracting business to his impactful role at DDS, leading innovative safety initiatives.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into:

• Ryan's transition from environmental consulting to manufacturing safety, and eventually to his current role in construction safety management.
• The implementation of DDS's robust Safety Management System (SMS) utilizing the Safety Culture platform, transforming safety operations with digital tools for field inspections, audits, asset tracking, and proactive incident management.
• The importance and interconnectedness of DDS’s core principles—Safety, Quality, and Accountability—and how these are actively embedded into the daily routines and culture of the DDS workforce.
• Ryan’s firsthand experiences and key takeaways regarding the critical role of planning, teamwork, and effective communication in preventing workplace incidents and fostering an environment where safety truly comes first.

This episode also features an exciting look ahead at DDS’s ambitious "Zero Incidents" goal for the year, underscoring the team's commitment to achieving excellence in safety through continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability.

Join Jordan, Mark, and Ryan as they discuss the practical steps and visionary approaches DDS employs to maintain safety standards, empower field leadership, and cultivate a workplace where every team member goes home safe.

Don’t miss this conversation filled with actionable insights, relatable experiences, and the passion behind DDS's exceptional safety culture.

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here! 

Join host Jordan Potter and co-host Mark Payne as they welcome the latest member of the Built In Boots podcast lineup, Training Coordinator Griffin Haley. Griffin shares his story of working hands-on in the field to spearheading DDS’s innovative onboarding and training programs. He explains how his early experiences—pouring concrete, chasing heavy equipment certifications, and gaining real-world know-how—now guide him in preparing new hires for success right from day one.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• From the Field to the Classroom: Griffin’s transition from civil construction work to managing DDS’s week-long New Employee Orientation.
• Innovating Onboarding: How DDS elevates new-hire training with safety and skills modules, real equipment demos, and a personal touch.
• Microlearning & BuildWitt: A look at how short-form video content and industry partnerships help employees learn on the go.
• Cultivating Culture: Why a supportive, growth-oriented environment matters as DDS expands—plus how Griffin connects with new teammates across divisions.
• Future of the Podcast: Jordan, Mark, and Griffin highlight upcoming interviews, field visits, and insights on career opportunities in construction.

Ready to Dive In?

• Subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.
• Connect with Us on social media and share the show to help us reach more folks in the industry.
• Interested in a Career at DDS? Visit our website or reach out directly to learn how to join our growing team of professionals.

Get an inside look at DDS’s unique approach to onboarding, safety, and personal development—plus a preview of how Griffin will bring even more field stories to the mic. Tune in and be part of the conversation!

 At The DDS Companies, we don’t just build projects—we build careers. From field workers to office staff, every role contributes to our mission of excellence in the civil construction industry. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your journey, DDS offers the opportunities, support, and culture you need to thrive.

Ready to join a team where your skills and dedication are valued? Visit our Careers Page at www.ddscompanies.com/careers to explore current opportunities and take the first step toward building your future with DDS. Your journey starts here!