GeoHeroes - Kent Bannister
In this episode Guy Marcozzi interviews Kent Bannister president and CEO of TREK Geotechnical. The discussion traces Bannister's life, starting with his childhood in Winnipeg and his early work experiences, such as his memorable stint at McDonald's and a job at the Royal Bank of Canada. The conversation explores his academic journey, leading to his career in geotechnical engineering and eventual leadership at TREK. Bannister also shares insights on the geotechnical profession, emphasizing risk management, the importance of continuous learning, and the impact of technology. He offers career advice and discusses the challenges and opportunities within the field, reflecting on his own experiences and aspirations for the future of TREK Geotechnical.
In this podcast series Guy Marcozzi will interview past, present, and future leaders in the geoprofessional industry to explore their personal and career journeys. The goal is to understand what motivates these individuals and what insights they have for the future of the profession. The podcast will examine the skills and qualities that have contributed to their success, as well as their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
Kent Bannister - Kent is the President and CEO of TREK Geotechnical Inc., a firm located in Winnipeg, Canada. Over the past 15 years, TREK has grown from a 3-person geotechnical engineering firm to a staff of over 65 employees offering geotechnical, water resources, and environmental engineering services along with a full-service materials testing laboratory. In addition to his corporate duties, Kent also acts as the geotechnical design lead or reviewer on a variety of projects including several large multi-million dollar infrastructure projects. Over the past 26 years Kent has worked on projects across Canada’s prairie provinces and northern Canada. He has been employed with TREK since 2012. Kent presently is a member of the board of directors of the GBA and the Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique. He has previously served on the executive committee and the board of directors of the Canadian Geotechnical Society.
Guy Marcozzi – Guy Marcozzi is the current GBA president and an experienced CEO, President and Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the engineering, science and data technology industries and in leadership for various boards of ESOP, non-profit, professional and business organizations.
Discussion Topics:
Early Life and Education (00:00:51)
Leadership and Challenges (16:50)
The Geoprofessional Landscape (25:00)
Technology and the Future (31:50)
"Say yes when opportunity presents itself."
"Trust people until they give you a reason not to."
Calls-to-action:
Visit the GBA Website at https://www.geoprofessional.org for other training resources and reference materials and/or to become a member.Visit https://www.gbapodcast.com for future Podcast EpisodesContact us at [email protected] with any podcast-related questions or commentsSubscribe
Subscribe to the GBA Podcast https://www.gbapodcast.com/subscribeThis episode was produced by the following GBA Members:
Ryan White, PE, GE – Principal Geotechnical Engineer/PBS Engineering and Environmental LLC
