Get the kNACk : A National Academy of Construction Podcast
Having “the knack” is to be proficient in your industry’s ever-changing realities. Moderated by our hosts Jerry, Bill, Kevin, and Sue, Get the kNACk shares the knowledge, insights, and wisdom of NAC members to give you the skills and expertise to master your career.
The Get the kNACk podcast is published by the National Academy of Construction. NAC honors outstanding construction industry leaders and shares their collective experiences and expertise to help the Nation by improving their industry.
Visit our website at: https://www.naocon.org/get-the-knack/.
Episodes
99 episodes
The Intersection of Substance Use, Mental Health, Suicide, and Overdoses with Cal Beyer
Host Kevin Hilton welcomes back Cal Beyer, Senior Director of SAFE Workplaces for SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic), to continue their powerful conversation on mental health and suicide in the construction industry. In this ep...
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Season 5
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Episode 17
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29:20
Beating the Odds, Starting and Sustaining a Construction Company with Jeff Ehret
In the construction industry, half of all companies don’t make it past five years. In this episode of Get the Knack, host Jerry Eyink welcomes Jeff Ehret, founder and chairman of PENTA Building Group, to discuss starting and sustaining...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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39:59
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in the Construction Industry with Cal Beyer
In recognition of Suicide Prevention Month, host Kevin Hilton welcomes Cal Beyer, Senior Director of SAFE Workplaces for SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic), for an important conversation on mental health and suicide prevention ...
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Season 5
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Episode 16
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30:17
Cyber Security and Safety in the Construction Industry with Lucian Niemeyer – Part Three
Host Sue Steele welcomes back Lucian Niemeyer, CEO of Building Cyber Security and former Assistant Secretary of Defense, for the final episode of a three-part series on cybersecurity in construction. In the previous episodes, Lucian discussed t...
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Season 5
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Episode 15
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35:25
AI in Construction with Dr. Burcin Kaplanoglu
Artificial intelligence is transforming the construction industry. In this episode of Get the kNACk, host William O’Brien is joined by Dr. Burcin Kaplanoglu, Vice President of Oracle’s Industry Lab, to explore the evolving role of AI in constru...
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Season 5
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Episode 13
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45:58
“All in Together” Construction Safety Week 2025 Recap with Mike Choutka
Construction Safety Week brings the industry together to promote safety, celebrate its importance, and strengthen safety culture across all jobsites. In this episode of Get the Knack, host Jerry Eyink is joined by Mike Choutka...
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Season 5
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Episode 12
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28:39
Why Choose a Technical Education - with Jerry Eyink and Don Pohl from Ranken Technical College
Careers in the skilled trades not only address critical workforce gaps but also provide long-term opportunities for growth, stability, and impact within the construction industry. In this episode of Get the Knack, hosts Su...
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Season 5
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Episode 11
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44:40
Trends in Project Delivery and Risk with Keith Molenaar
In this episode, host Bill O’Brien is joined by Keith Molenaar, Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder, for a conversation on the evolving landscape of project delivery and risk management i...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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29:54
Value of Student Internships - Student and University Perspectives with Sam Ariaratnam and Mackenzie Schmader
In this episode of Get the Knack, host Jerry Eyink is joined by Dr. Sam Ariaratnam, professor and program chair at the Del E. Webb School of Construction at Arizona State University, and Mackenzie Schmader, a 2024 NAC Scholarship recip...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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37:13
Leadership in Construction – A Fireside Chat with Ted C. Kennedy Award Winner Michael Loose
In this episode of Get the kNACk, host Sue Steele is joined by Michael Loose, the 2024 recipient of the Ted C. Kennedy Award, to discuss leadership in construction. Mike was honored with the Ted C. Kennedy Award for outstanding career achieveme...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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47:50
Cyber Security and Safety in the Construction Industry with Lucian Niemeyer – Part Two
Host Sue Steele welcomes back Lucian Niemeyer, CEO of the nonprofit Building Cyber Security, for the second episode of a three-part series on cybersecurity in the built environment. In the first episode, Lucian emphasized the importance of tak...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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38:14
Career Choices and Lessons Learned Along the Way with Lillian Borrone
In this episode, host Jerry Eyink welcomes Lillian Borrone to share valuable insights on career choices and lessons learned in the construction industry. Lillian retired from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as Assistant Executive ...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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38:30
Leading Change in Project Organizations with Doug Omichinski
In this episode, host William O’Brien welcomes Doug Omichinski for a discussion on leading change within project organizations in the construction industry. Doug recently retired as a Principal Vice President and Corporate Manager of Constructi...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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43:12
Building Women Leaders in the Construction Industry with Gretchen Gagel
This week is Women in Construction week, and host Jerry Eyink welcomes Gretchen Gagel to discuss building women leaders in the construction industry. Gretchen shares her extensive journey in the industry and discusses the significance of inclus...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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40:14
Leading Causes of Construction Disputes with Mike Loulakis
Proactively managing and mediating construction disputes is essential to minimize risks and keep projects on track. In this episode, host Jerry Eyink is joined by Mike Loulakis, president and CEO of Capital Project Strategies, LLC, to ...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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49:52
Cyber Security and Safety in the Construction Industry with Lucian Niemeyer - Part One
Host Sue Steele welcomes Lucian Niemeyer, CEO of the nonprofit organization Building Cyber Security and former Assistant Secretary of Defense, for the first episode of a three-part series on cyber security. In this episode,...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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41:37
Women in Construction with Vicki O’Leary
A career in ironworking offers women valuable opportunities while helping to grow the skilled labor workforce. In this episode of Get the kNACk, hosts Sue Steele and Kevin Hilton sit down with Vicki O'Leary, Director of Diversity ...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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26:30
Culture for Project Success with Bill O’Brien and Fernando Espana
Host Jerry Eyink welcomes Dr. Bill O'Brien and Fernando Espana to discuss research by the Construction Industry Institute focused on understanding and enhancing project culture. The discussion addresses the challenges of fostering a hi...
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Season 4
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Episode 25
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37:43
Technology is important and so are people… with Edd Gibson
Culture is at the core of project success, as Host Jerry Eyink and NAC CEO and President Edd Gibson discuss in their exploration of the critical intersection between technology and people in the construction industry. They share their...
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Season 4
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Episode 24
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40:58
Answering the Call: Manning Mega Projects During a Skills Shortage with Bill Brown and Eric Dean
In this episode, host Kevin Hilton, CEO of the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust (IMPACT), sits down with IMPACT General President Eric Dean and Bill Brown, Executive Director of Ideal Contracting, to discuss how the Un...
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Season 4
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Episode 23
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28:47
Careers in Construction Management with Jeff Ehret
Why pursue a career in construction? With October being “Careers in Construction” month, Jeff Ehret, Chairman of The PENTA Building Group, explains why he finds the construction industry both exciting and rewarding. With no two days alike and t...
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Season 4
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Episode 22
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31:06
Mentorship in the Construction Industry with Milo Riverso
The value and impact of mentorship is tremendous in transforming the lives of both the mentee and mentor. In this episode, Milo Riverso joins our host, Jerry Eyink, to discuss the importance of mentorship. Milo is the retired President and CEO ...
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Season 4
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Episode 21
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38:33
Temporary Structures with Charles T. Jahren
Temporary structures play a vital role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of construction projects. In this episode, Charles (Chuck) Jahren, Morrill Professor Emeritus at Iowa State, joins host Bill O'Brien to share his expertise. Chuck offe...
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Season 4
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Episode 20
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38:22
Lessons of the Great Builders – Building The Hoover Dam with Paul Giroux
The Hoover Dam stands as one of the greatest civil engineering construction achievements in history, as it was unprecedented in its size, scope, and technical complexity. Built during the challenging times of the Great Depression, it not only s...
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Season 4
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Episode 19
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29:36
Leadership in Construction – Wisdoms from NAC Masters with Jan Tuchman
Join us for the sixth installment of our “Leadership in Construction” series, featuring Jan Tuchman, a remarkable leader in the construction industry. Jan served as the editor-in-chief of Engineering News-Record (ENR) and now leads content deve...
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Season 4
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Episode 18
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50:03