On The Surface with Delta
On The Surface is the go-to podcast for leaders, innovators, and professionals in the world of construction and materials. Each episode dives deep into the strategies, stories, and insights that drive success in the industry—covering everything from business development and operational leadership to fostering team growth and cultivating a winning culture. Join us as we explore the people and processes that shape the built environment, featuring conversations with experts, thought leaders, and trailblazers who are transforming the way we design, build, and lead. Whether you’re a construction executive, materials specialist, or aspiring industry leader, On The Surface delivers the knowledge and inspiration you need to elevate your career and your business.
Episodes
32 episodes
Building Your Personal Brand as a Leader: Lessons from Stephan Mills
What does it really take to build a personal brand as a leader and why does it matter more than most people think?In this episode of On The Surface, Seth Stevens and Brad Collins sit down with Stephan Mills, Director of Finance ...
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Communicating Effectively Using Storytelling & Analogies with Brad Collins
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Brad Collins, Vice President of Finance and Development at Colas, to discuss his career journey and how leadership perspectives evolve over time. Brad shares how he found his way i...
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The Industry You Rely On But Never Think About
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits back down with Jeff Hotop and Blake Lingle for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the construction industry, how it operates behind the scenes, and the external factors that influence...
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Can the Middle East Affect the Midwest?
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Brad Marotti to unpack the real-world impact of geopolitics on businesses—from tariffs and trade policies to wars, supply chain disruptions, and volatile fuel prices.What st...
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Visionaries vs Integrators, Career Changes, & Leadership Styles
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Jeff Hotop and Blake Lingle for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about career paths, leadership development, and the roles that shape how organizations grow and operate.J...
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The Culture–Skill Quadrant Every Leader Faces
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Brad and Taylor for an honest, practical conversation about one of the toughest challenges leaders face: building the right team. Using a culture‑versus‑skills quadrant as the fram...
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From the Ground Up: Leadership, Learning, and the Aggregate World
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down with Kris Latham to unpack a career built from the ground up—one shaped by engineering roots, hard-earned lessons, and a deep respect for people, process, and perspective. From growing ...
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Scratching the Surface: Real‑World AI Use Cases in Business
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth is joined once again by Brad for a wide‑ranging, practical conversation about how AI is actually being used in everyday business—and why most people are still only scratching the surface. From Co...
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The Reality of Becoming a First-Time Manager: What No One Tells You
In this episode of On the Surface, Seth sits down once again with fan‑favorite guest (and unofficial co‑host) Taylor Kirn for an honest look at what really happens when you step into a management role for the first time. From the shock...
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Internal Promotions or External Hires? Making the Right Leadership Call
In this episode of On The Surface, Seth and Brad welcome back Taylor Kirn for a deep dive into one of the most pivotal decisions any company faces: internal promotions vs. external hires.From the real costs of leadership transit...
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Attitude, Effort, and Safety: Lessons from the Field with Justin Counce
In this episode of On the Surface, we sit down with Justin Counce—Delta’s Safety Coordinator—to explore the unconventional path that led him from chemistry labs and chromatography machines to job sites, quarry pits, and the front lines...
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Routines, Values, and Raising Kids Today
In this episode of On the Surface, we sit down with Brad Marotti and Jordan Janet to dig into the habits, mindsets, and daily choices that shape who we are as men, husbands, fathers, and leaders. What starts as a light conversation abo...
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IT on the Frontlines: Tech, AI, and the Future of Construction
In this episode of On the Surface, we sit down with Craig McClellan and Russell Goss—Delta’s IT Manager and IT Technician—to uncover the technology, teamwork, and troubleshooting that keep our construction operations running every sing...
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From Asphalt Plants to Estimating: Austin Williams
In this episode of On the Surface, we sit down with Austin Williams, Senior Estimator at Delta Companies, to explore a career built through unexpected turns, steady growth, and a willingness to step into unfamiliar territory.Aus...
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Opportunity, Leadership, and the Long Game with Derrick Schatte
In this episode of On the Surface, we sit down with Derrick Schatte, Delta’s Paving Superintendent for Missouri, to trace an unconventional path from a thousand-acre farm to leading crews and building winning asphalt operations. Starti...
Lessons From Every Level: Zach Green’s Path to Executive Leadership
On this week’s On the Surface, Seth Stevens and Brad Marotti talk with Zach Green, Executive Vice President of Colas Inc., about his career journey and the leadership lessons he learned along the way. Zach shares how he grew from an entry level...
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Inside the Asphalt Plant: Breakdowns, Safety, and the Foreman’s Reality
On this week’s On the Surface, host Seth Stevens and co-host Brad Marotti welcome two of Delta’s most experienced plant leaders, Andy West and Don Brumley, for an inside look at what it really takes to run an asphalt plant and keep production m...
A Day in the Life of a Plant Foreman with Andy West and Don Brumley
On this week’s On the Surface, host Seth Stevens sits down with two longtime leaders in Delta’s asphalt operations. Andy West, HMA Manager over all eight Delta asphalt plants, and Don Brumley, Plant Foreman with more than three decades of exper...
People, Planning and Production: Inside the Paving Foreman Role
On this week’s On the Surface, host Seth Stevens and co-host Brad Marotti welcome Shane Moody, Paving Superintendent at Delta, for an inside look at what it really takes to lead a paving crew and build high quality roads across Arkansas....
Snow Day Special
School’s out, schedules are on pause, and we’re breaking from our usual programming for something a little different. Thanks to snow days at home, this episode flips the script and hands the microphone to the kids. From what they love most abou...
How GPS & AI Are Rewriting the Paving Playbook
On this week’s On the Surface, host Seth Stevens and co-hosts Brad Marotti and Jordan Janet welcome back Patrick Lemley, Construction Technologies Manager at Delta, for a deep dive into how paving has evolved—and where it’s headed next...
A Project Manager's Playbook: Schedules, Change Orders, and Traffic Swaps
In this episode of On the Surface, we unpack what project managers actually do—from planning and coordinating crews and subs to managing schedules, change orders, and milestones like traffic swaps. Patrick Lemley brings a surveyor’s eye ...
Revenue Isn’t Cash: The Lifecycle of Money in Business
In this On The Surface conversation, Seth Stevens and Jordan Janet break down the one metric that keeps every business alive: cash. Using plain‑spoken examples—from quarry rock to multi‑month construction projects—they map the ful...
Step Up Without Stumbling: How to Succeed in Role Transitions
In this episode of On The Surface, hosts Seth Stevens and Jordan Janet dig into what it takes to transition roles successfully. Drawing on recent role changes and real-world examples, they unpack why leadership transitions matter, how “s...
The Challenges and Vision of a Regional Manager
What does it take to lead more than 100 people, manage complex operations, and shape the future of a construction division? In this episode of On the Surface, Seth Stevens and Jordan Janet talk with Daryl Masingale, Regional Manager of...
