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
90 episodes
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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46:10
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
Navigating Project Success: Use and Application of the Building Owner Assessment Tool (BOAT) with the Charles Pankow Foundation - Part 2
Join us for the second part of our two part series on the Building Owner Assessment Tool (BOAT), developed by the Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF) and the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. In this episode, host Sue Steele...
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Season 4
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Episode 17
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44:11
Leadership in Construction - Wisdoms from NAC Masters with Dominick Servedio
Join us for the fifth installment of our “Leadership in Construction” series featuring Dominick Servedio. Dominick is chairman of STV Group, Inc., an organization he joined in 1977 following an extensive career with the New York Metropolitan Au...
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Season 4
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Episode 16
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24:14
Improving Capital Effectiveness with Carlos H. Caldas
Capital effectiveness is essential for business success. In this episode, host Bill O'Brien is joined by Professor Carlos H. Caldas from the University of Texas at Austin. With over 30 years of expertise in construction engineering and project ...
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Season 4
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Episode 15
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30:13
Navigating Project Success: Introducing the Building Owner Assessment Tool (BOAT) with the Charles Pankow Foundation - Part 1
Understanding team culture and selecting the optimal delivery method is crucial to a project's success. Building owners can now enhance collaboration and develop strategies to overcome challenges using a new tool created by the Charles Pankow F...
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Season 4
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Episode 14
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42:26
Leadership in Construction - Wisdoms from NAC Masters with Dave Nash
The fourth installment of our “Leadership in Construction” series has arrived! David Nash, senior vice president of MELE Associates, Inc. and retired admiral of the U.S. Navy, accompanies our host, Sue Steele, in a profound discussion about his...
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Season 4
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Episode 13
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33:52
A Journey into Human-Centric Spaces with Burçin Becerik-Gerber
Technological advancements have the potential to make our buildings better adapt to our needs. Burçin Becerik-Gerber, Dean’s Professor and Department Chair of the Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Sou...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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38:39
Mental Health Awareness - Where do we Start? with Kevin Hilton
Conversations about mental health awareness are valuable, but taking action to improve mental health issues is how powerful changes are made. Kevin Hilton, CEO of IMPACT, and Bert Royer, 38-year member of the Iron Workers Union and IMPACT’s Can...
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30:11
Construction Safety Week 2024 - Value Every Voice with Dan Johnson
NAC is excited to announce a special release for Safety Week 2024! Mr. Dan Johnson, president and CEO of M. A. Mortenson Company, accompanies our host, Jerry Eyink, in a thoughtful conversation about this year's Safety Week. One of the major th...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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19:19
Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) - Execution Planning with William O'Brien
Advanced Work Packaging can be an integral part of well-managed construction projects. Dr. Bill O'Brien, professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, and Jamie Gerbrech...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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48:49