Welcome to another episode of the Construction Hall of Fame Podcast, where we celebrate the journeys and stories of remarkable individuals in the construction industry. On this episode, we have an inspiring guest joining us, Chris Gutkes, the President of Island Elevator.

In this episode, Chris takes us on a journey from adversity to triumph. When a sudden tragedy struck his family, Chris found himself in a position he hadn't anticipated - running Island Elevator, a family business with deep roots. With determination, resilience, and a commitment to learning the necessary skills, he not only kept the company afloat but also set it on a path of remarkable growth and success.

Key Takeaways:

•Chris shares his emotional journey of stepping into the leadership role at Island Elevator after a family tragedy.
•Learn how he proactively acquired the executive skills required to manage a thriving construction business.
•Discover the entrepreneurial insights and strategies that have been instrumental in Island Elevator's success.
•Chris discusses his passion for elevating the standards of the elevator industry and embracing innovation.
•Gain valuable lessons on leadership, resilience, and seizing opportunities, even in challenging times.

Chris Gutkes' story reminds us that even in the face of adversity, with determination, resilience, and a commitment to self-improvement, we can overcome challenges and achieve remarkable success. Thank you for joining us for this inspiring episode of the Construction Hall of Fame Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Your feedback is essential to us. To explore more captivating stories from the construction industry's finest, visit our website and follow us on social media. Until next time, keep building greatness!

On this episode, we are joined by Cecilia Kucharski -- Vice President and Operations Leader at Webcor in San Diego.

Cecilia's success story began with her studies in Construction Management and being a part of multiple internship programs throughout her college career at Purdue University. After college, she jumped straight into the Bay Area construction industry working for a large contractor as a Project Engineer, then quickly rose into Project Management and Project Director roles. From there, she moved into estimating and Business Development, Business Acquisition, Business Strategy, and Marketing. Finally, she moved back into Operations, where she leads the charge for Webcor's market expansion in San Diego. It's great to hear Cecilia's passion when sharing why she loves being a part of Webcor, what makes their team culture unique, and what an EXCITING opportunity it is to be a part of their market growth in San Diego.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How her summer internships helped jumpstart your career in the right direction -- including what she's noticed some of the most successful internship programs have in common -- and where some miss the mark

• The difference between having a mentor and a sponsor -- and what this has meant to her career

• Why elite executive talent in the industry who might have a comfortable job at the moment should consider a move to the Webcor team to participate in this powerful mission they’re on to continue taking over the San Diego market

•  How Webcor intentionally upskills their leaders -- and how this has driven a positive impact on their team and organization overall

And much more…

If you're looking for new ways to find strategic mentors or sponsors for your career, you want to learn about new opportunities to get on the ground floor in a growing market, or you simply want to hear the perspective of a seasoned construction leader who has worked nearly every aspect of the business -- you're in for a gem with this episode!

On this episode, we are joined by Brian Hall -- Director of Socal Markets at BCCI Construction.

Brian's success story began wearing a tool bag -- framing houses and working for developers. He then decided to go to college for a bachelor's in business while he worked for a civil engineering company on the south side of Chicago. He then made a move to California and hasn't looked back since. Throughout his career, he's displayed resilience in the face of adversity, which leads him to where he is today as BCCI's Director of Socal Markets, where he's helping BCCI launch their new market build out initiative.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Brian and his team approach talent acquisition when entering a new market

• How Brian and his team are working to build a strong culture in the new market they're carving out

• How Brian pursues and lands new contract opportunities in a brand new market

• How Brian's resiliency and growth-mindset have helped him get where he's at today

And much more…

If you're looking for insights for building out a new market, you want to hear a story of true resilience in the face of adversity, or you simply want to hear the perspective of a seasoned construction leader who's working to make waves in the Southern California market -- you're in for a fun one with this episode!

On this episode of The Construction Hall of Fame Podcast, we are joined by Brent Kelley -- Managing Principal and Co-Sector Lead of the Aviation Team at Corgan.

Brent's success story began by realizing his love in real estate and architecture as a young child. Since then, Brent has risen up from "6-hour unemployed intern" to a Managing Principal over his 33+ year career with Corgan.

In this episode, we discuss the value of allowing your team to self-actualize in their career, the fine line of delegating without giving away too much responsibility too soon, how to retain your team by allowing them to explore the career growth they desire, plus more...

If you're looking to advance in your AEC career, you want to hear why an employee would stick with a firm for 30+ years, or you simply want to hear the perspective of a seasoned AEC Aviation Leader discussing what makes his team great -- you're in for a treat with this episode!

We hope you enjoy the episode!

To learn more about Big League Talent, your favorite construction & AEC recruiters, visit our website at www.bigleaguetalentco.com

To steal our Construction Recruitment Thesis for recruiting and retaining top construction and AEC professionals, visit our landing page at www.bigleaguetalent.co/dossier

On this episode, we are joined by Adrian Russell -- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director at Shiel Sexton.

Russell's success story began as a young child working on construction-related projects around the house. This led him to study construction in college. Once he graduated, he worked with a few construction companies who made Adrian question if he made the right choice with construction for his career. Fast forward to today, Adrian believes construction changed his life for the better and he helps "Spread the good word of construction" to the younger generations while being a champion for DE&I at Shiel Sexton.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How he first realized that he was in environments that weren’t inclusive, and what that felt like for him

• The difference between being in non-inclusive construction environments -- and finding the culture that was inclusive which changed his perception about what’s possible in the construction industry

• What a special mentor did for him that gave him hope for the industry, and what made this person stand out as one of his most impactful mentors of his career

•  How Shiel Sexton prioritizes and promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company, and what steps they have taken to create a more inclusive workplace

And much more…

If you're looking for new ways to improve DE&I in the construction industry, you want to hear a triumphant success story in the construction industry, or you want to hear how industry leaders are promoting DE&I -- you're in for a gem with this episode!

On this episode, we are joined by Aaron Witt-- Chief Executive Officer at BuildWitt

Aaron's success story began in high school working as a laborer for a construction company after a project popped up in his neighborhood. This led him to going to school for construction engineering, interning with 5 construction companies throughout college. As he graduated, he decided to build his online brand around his love for the industry as a young engineer. Fast forward to today, Aaron is the CEO at BuildWitt where he's built a media and marketing company specifically focused on the Dirt World.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What it's been like building and scaling BuildWitt since day 1

• How his visits to construction job sites around the US has helped improve his business overall

• Common challenges the industry faces when it comes to attracting and retaining skilled workers and how we can attack those challenges head-on

• How construction companies can adapt their training programs to better engage and retain younger workers who may have different learning styles and preferences

And much more…

If you're looking for new ways to level up your ability to train and develop your team, you want to hear a couple of passionate guys talking shop about chipping away at the talent shortage in construction, or you want to hear how industry leaders are implementing outside the box marketing and training for the team -- you're in for a gem with this episode!