Cool Times Podcast

In this episode of The Cool Times Podcast, hosts Vince and Jenna Free welcome Gary O'Donnell to the show. Gary, a seasoned professional with 26 years of experience in the industry, recently joined the team at Karis Cold, a leading developer specializing in cold storage and spec buildings. As Gary shares his journey and insights, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic world of cold storage development and the role of a VP of Construction.

Gary provides insights into Karis Cold's role in the construction industry. Karis Cold is primarily a developer that specializes in building cold storage spec buildings. While Gary's roots are in general contracting, he's excited about the opportunity to contribute his experience to the development side of the business.

Karis Cold is known for constructing buildings without tenants in advance a unique approach in the industry. They currently have numerous sites ranging from 50 to 250 acres, with multiple buildings under construction in the Midwest and East Coast.

Throughout the discussion, Gary emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, adaptability, and the value of building strong relationships in the construction industry. He believes that one's ability to listen, ask questions, and collaborate with others can significantly impact success in the field.

Story Notes:

❄️Getting to Know Gary O'Donnell

❄️Exploring Karis Cold and Its Vision

❄️Analyzing Location Choices and Development Strategies

❄️Gary's Journey in the Construction Industry

❄️Gary's Unforgettable Construction Story

Sponsored by Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Cool Times podcast! This week, hosts Vince and Jenna Free are joined by the industry expert Carson Miller, a true friend of the show and an integral part of the Assured Partners team. Carson's journey into the world of insurance and risk management is not just a career, but a passion that runs in his DNA. Tune in as they dive into the captivating world of captive insurance, real estate risk management, and how Carson's unique approach to partnership is transforming the way businesses manage their risks.

 Carson Miller, is known for his expertise in risk management and insurance, especially in the cold storage and construction sectors. Carson's background is steeped in insurance, being a third-generation practitioner. He explains Assured Partners' distinctive approach, emphasizing a narrow but deep focus on specific industry verticals.

Carson delves into Assured Partners' specialization in various sectors, including construction, real estate, and alternative risk finance solutions. He highlights the importance of tailored risk management strategies that span several years rather than focusing solely on immediate needs. The hosts and Carson discuss the rising rates and premiums in the industry and the significance of putting long-term strategies in place.

Story Notes:

❄️ Getting to Know Carson Miller

❄️ The World of Captive Insurance

❄️ Choosing the Right Captive

❄️ The Role of Assured Partners in Various Industries

❄️ The Personal Touch in Client Relationships

❄️ Captive Insurance Unveiled

❄️ Choosing Offshore Captives

Sponsored by Rytec High-Performance Doors
Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

To connect with Carson Miller, you can reach him at:

Phone: (214) 404-2900

Email: [email protected]

In this exciting episode, hosts Jenna and Vince Free are joined by Christopher Ware, Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives at NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Christopher shares insights about the upcoming I.CON Cold Storage Conference, a unique event tailored to developers, owners, and investors in the cold storage industry.

Christopher Ware introduces himself and his background, highlighting his journey from a history major to becoming a seasoned association professional. He provides an overview of NAIOP's role as a leading national trade association for commercial real estate, with a particular focus on industrial real estate.

Christopher explains how NAIOP evolved from being the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties to its current name, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. He discusses NAIOP's mission, connecting developer-owner investors, providing education, fostering networking, and offering industry-leading research.

Story Notes:

❄️ Meet Christopher Ware

❄️ NAIOP's Evolution

❄️ The Birth of ICON Cold Storage

❄️ About I.CON Cold Storage Conference

❄️ Networking Tips for Attendees

❄️ Challenges in Cold Storage Development

❄️ Vapor Armor

Sponsored by Versi-Foam & Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

In this episode of the Cool Times podcast, Vince and Jenna Free, the dynamic duo and business partners, sit down with Jake Stefan, President at ARCO Design Build Companies Inc. As they explore all things cool about cold storage, they dive deep into Jake's journey, experiences, and insights that have shaped his successful career.

Jake Stefan's inspiring journey in the cold storage industry is showcased, highlighting the importance of seizing opportunities, embracing challenges, and cultivating a thriving culture in the workplace.

Story Notes:

❄️ Jake Stefan's Background

❄️ The Midwest Roots

❄️ About ARCO Design Build Companies Inc.

❄️ Finding Passion in Construction

❄️ The Atlanta Connection

❄️ Learning from a Mentor

❄️ Building a Culture of Trust

Sponsored by Versi-Foam & Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

In this episode of Cool Times podcast, hosts Vince and Jenna Free invite special guest Mike Jones, the President at Primus Design Services, a registered architect and the design component for Primus Builders. Mike Jones tells the listeners about his company and what he does for Primus and the industry. He also talks about the synergy of being a true design builder and the in-house capacity to do that. He explains that they have other self-performing entities that Primus is doing now too, such as their thermal division that installs their own insulated panels in the floor insulation to get full control of the thermal envelope as much as possible. They also have their solutions group, which handles anything that they do with regard to automation. 

Jones mentions that they work pretty much entirely throughout the US and have been able to build quality relationships over the years with many of the members in the group. Vince asks Jones how many projects they are doing at a single time on average, and Jones says that they probably have 10 to 15 in various stages. They could be just starting construction, some might be in the middle, and some toward the end, and there's a little bit of overlap. Jones also mentions that they are doing a project in North Las Vegas right now that's over a million square feet and takes a lot of their resources.

Story Notes:

❄️Who is Mike Jones 

❄️What is Primus

❄️Primus Projects and Management

❄️How did Primus got Started

❄️Thermal Expansions of Freezers

❄️Cold Storage Design Concept Innovation

❄️How Technology Improved the Cold Storage Industry

❄️Cool Moments in the Industry

❄️Why Buy from Primus

Sponsored by Versi-Foam & Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

In this episode of the Cool Times podcast, hosted by Vince and Jenna Free, with special guest Peter Bartell, the co-hosts start with the sponsorship spotlight segment, thanking the sponsor Versi - Foam for their support. They then move on to talking about the origins of the podcast and the CEBA executive board meeting, where the attendees strategized and talked about how to take the industry to the next level. They introduce Peter Bartell, the vice president and one of the owners of Versi - Foam, and ask him about how he got started and what Verifone is all about. Peter talks about how his stepfather, Richard, started the company in 1981, and how he and his coworkers saw a big need for it in the cold storage industry. Peter also talks about the origin of their foam product and how Richard got the company started with a pallet of orders from 10 guys.

Story Notes:

❄️What is Versi-Foam 

❄️How did Versi-Foam got Started

❄️Cool Moments in the Industry

❄️Versi-Foam Sprayfoam

❄️Why Buy from Versi-Foam 

Sponsored by Versi-Foam & Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

Welcome to the Cool Times podcast with your Hosts Vince and Jenna Free! In this episode we are introducing our new series, Sponsorship Spotlight. Our first spotlight is on Chase Deaton, the Director of Sales for Rytec High-Performance Doors. 

Chase is a legend in the industry and has been supporting Rytec for 20 years. He talks about his competitive nature and how it drives him to be successful. He shares what is new in the Rytec world, such as their latest automation projects and the Smart Factory. 

Chase also touches on the misconception that doors should be perfect and how to prevent issues by doing regular maintenance. He shares details about LED light systems and how they can be used to advise when a door is about to close.

Story Notes:

❄️Who is Chase Deaton

❄️Smart Factory

❄️Misconception in the Cold Storage Industry

❄️Armor Joint of Rytec Doors

❄️Chase Deaton’s Mentors

❄️Chase Deaton’s Upcoming Projects 

❄️Cool Moments in the Industry

Sponsored by Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

Hosts Vince and Jenna talk with Maggie Christiansen, Regional Sales Manager at Kingspan Insulated Panels. Maggie has been in the industry for almost 20 years and has a wealth of knowledge to share. Maggie shared her story of how she got into the industry, starting with her dad’s independent manufacturer's rep business. Maggie worked for her dad for 10 years prior to Kingspan hiring her as the Regional Sales Manager. 


Maggie explained Kingspan is the largest manufacturer of insulated metal panels globally and has 198 manufacturing facilities around the world. Kingspan has three panel divisions in North America, the Controlled Environments division, the Commercial Industrial division, and the Benchmark high-end architectural division. Maggie also discussed Kingspan's Light and Air division, which provides translucent panels and daylighting to allow natural light into certain buildings.


Finally, Maggie explained there are 6 employees and 2 independent reps that cover the USA market for Kingspan and shared some exciting new products and inititives from Kingspan, including their Quad Core
foam panel with higher thermal performance, fire performance, low smoke development, and health and wellness certifications.


Kingspan is a trusted leader in the design, manufacture, and supply of high-performance building products and solutions for the global property and construction industry, servicing abroad range of
market sectors for over 40 years. Kingspan Insulated Panels offer the widest product set in the market, including commercial and industrial, cold storage, and Benchmark premium customized architectural
insulated metal panels and accessories.

Story Notes:

• Who is Maggie Christiansen
• About Kingspan Insulated Panels
• How Maggie started in the Construction Industry
• Kingspan has Three Divisions: Controlled Environments, Commercial Industrial, and Benchmark High-end Architectural
• Kingspan's QuadCore Foam Panel
• CEBA & GCCA

Sponsored by Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com

Hosts Vince and Jenna talk with Jon May, Associate Vice President, Business Development for Industrial Services at Epstein Architecture, Engineering and Construction.Jon joined Epstein in 2017, bringing with him five years of engineering and management experience for clients in the manufacturing and food processing industries. As part of the Business Development team, Jon leads our efforts to develop new opportunities and manage client relations in Epstein’s industrial markets including food, manufacturing, cold storage and distribution, cannabis, and baked/powdered goods.

Prior to joining Epstein, John was a Project Manager for ARCO/Murray in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he was responsible for project performance and customer satisfaction, taking it from concept to completion.

Founded in 1921, Epstein is an architecture, interiors, engineering and construction company that specializes in delivering sustainable building solutions for clients in the commercial, industrial and public sectors.

Story Notes:

❄️Who is Jon May

❄️The Book: "The Epstein Story: Our First 100 Years"

❄️What is Epstein Global

❄️Enhance Project Outcomes Through Effective Client Communication

❄️Global Reach of Epstein Global

❄️Why Buy from Epstein Global

❄️Upcoming Trends in Technology in 5 to 10 years

❄️Cool Moments in the Industry

You can find more information about Jon and Epstein Global by visiting:

https://www.epsteinglobal.com/

Sponsored by Rytec High-Performance Doors

Visit: www.cooltimespodcast.com