Innovation Overload

“Innovation is pairing technology with a customer problem and making someone's life better.”  In this episode Landon Boyer, Vice President of Engineering at Schneider Electric explains the agile process they use to create and innovate products.  Landon also provides insights around supply chain challenges and worker shortages and how the solutions Schnieder is developing will help the industry triumph over the challenges of today and beyond.  

“Innovation is an idea that was divorced from a purpose.” Jonathan Marsh, CEO of Steel Toe Consulting, shares the importance of purpose driven innovation and matching key players to the correct roles in your business. Tune in to learn about process mapping and how curating workflows can help improve your business. Listen to how innovation and technology create a synergy that will improve the health of the electrical contracting industry.  

“We need to be better at selling our industry as something other than construction; we need to be better at showing what our industry really is, what it can be, what roads come out of an apprenticeship or a four-year degree, and how diverse that can look and be.” Shane Snyder, President of Cannon and Wendt joins us in the Innovation booth to discuss the extraordinary career opportunities electrical contracting offers how we can all do a better job evangelizing for the electrical contracting.  Shane also shares strategies his company uses to recruit and retain talent and tells his own story about how he was introduced to the industry.  These topics and more on this edition of the Innovation Overload Podcast!  

“Reality capture will revolutionize the way we do business.” Jacinda Matherne, Senior Manager of Industry Alliances and Josh Berger, Sales Manager of Trades at OpenSpace discuss the importance of tracking the process of a job with reality capture and how beneficial it is to visualize the job site. Listen to the barriers of adoption with new technology and how to combat them with Jared Christman, Director of Construction Technology at ELECTRI on “Innovation Overload Podcast: Contractor Takeover,” where innovations in the electrical industry are discussed from one contractor to another. 

“As long as you're innovating and changing, you're going to do well; if you're not moving and changing and trying to do better, you're not going to survive.”  Dennis Harter joins the NECA Innovation Booth to discuss the challenges and triumphs he’s experienced on his journey from soldier and apprentice to Vice President of Operations at Kaiser Electric.  Dennis digs into strategies he and his company have deployed to recruit, develop, and retain an all-star roster of talent at Kaiser Electric.  Additionally, Dennis explains how Kaiser fosters a culture that empowers their employees to take action on their own to implement new ideas and processes to keep fresh and stay on top of a rapidly changing industry and world. 

“You need to understand the problem and the potential benefits of a solution.” Hala Nassereddine, Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky discusses the importance of construction 4.0 and how vital the integration of technology is during the lifecycle of a construction project. Listen to the key role material management takes on with Sean Lazarian, CFO at ESSCO, and Jared Christman, Director of Construction Technology at ELECTRI on “Innovation Overload Podcast: Contractor Takeover,” where innovations in the electrical industry are discussed from one contractor to another.   

“If you're not stretching, you’re not growing, it’s good to sometimes step outside your comfort zone and embrace what’s somewhat uncomfortable.”  NECA’s own Pete Mastrorocco, Vice President of Education, Events, and Partnerships steps inside the Innovation Booth and pulls back the curtain on some of the inner machinations and statistics of the NECA Convention and what goes into successfully pulling off an event of such magnitude. Pete discusses how innovation is largely driven by educating oneself and people in your organization, which can be accelerated through the many avenues of literature and networking available through NECA membership.  

“Nothing starts innovation like a force of change.” Sean Lazarian, CFO at ESSCO, and Jared Christman, Director of Construction Technology at ELECTRI discuss the NECA Convention trade show floor and how to maximize your experience. Listen to highlighted technology that can help improve material management and trends that are on the horizon that will affect the electrical contacting industry on the Innovation Overload: Contractor Takeover podcast, where innovations in the electrical industry are discussed from one contractor to another.   

“Innovation involves a lot of technology, but I look at innovation as change and being not afraid to change. How can we change the industry to make it better?” Angie Simon, past President of SMACNA and Advisor to the Board at Western Allied Mechanical, shares her take on innovation after 35 years in the specialty trades.  As a trailblazer who became President of her contracting company in 2008 just as the recession hit and who became the first female President of SMACNA in 2019 just before the pandemic, Angie is no stranger to championing innovation during uncertainty.  Hear her story and her exciting efforts to bring more young talent into the industry through the Heavy Metal Summer Experience.  Check out more at hmse.org 

“Construction technology is a career that is out there for you regardless of where you start your career path.” Liz Campbell, Director of Chapter Development at The Atlanta Electrical Contractors Association discusses different pathways for students to enter the electrical industry and the importance of engagement with Sean Lazarian, CFO at ESSCO, and Jared Christman, Director of Construction Technology at ELECTRI on “Innovation Overload Podcast: Contractor Takeover,” where innovations in the electrical industry are discussed from one contractor to another.