BUILD America

Join us in this episode of CNR Magazine's BUILD America Podcast as Tarlton Corp. Chief Administrative Officer Dirk Elsperman walks us through the hidden dangers in gravity and many other aspects of mitigating risk on a jobsite so everyone goes home safely at the end of the day.

Learn how a veteran construction professional - who happens to be a woman - inspires passion in future generations by the work she does and the meaning she finds in it. Tradesworker, safety professional and author Kim Pierce inspires us all. Listen.

Join us and learn from Next 2 Native Language Learning Founder and CEO Monique Lewis as she shares her perspective on how vital it is for jobsite supervisors to be able to communicate in the native language of workers. It's as necessary to jobsite safety as is PPE.

In this episode of BUILD America, Attentive.ai Co-Founder & CEO Shiva Dhawan discusses how AI is being leveraged to save preconstruction estimators a significant amount of time, enabling them to bid on more worthwhile projects and increase revenue.

Join us as Breadcrumb CEO and Co-Founder Simon Elliott walks us through how field-specific AI solutions have to work for those who touch the tools. 
Fascinating episode on how leaving the paper behind leads to productivity, profitability and safety.

Join us in this compelling episode of the BUILD America Podcast as host Kerry Smith Buck (owner of Construction News and Review Magazine) learns from Tyfoom VP of Marketing & Growth Chris Walker about how critically important attention spans and visual/audio learning in "short bytes" is for jobsite teams.

In this episode, host Kerry Smith Buck sits down with Benjamin Jump, Safety Technician at Pike Construction, to unpack the urgent conversation around mental health in the construction industry. As part of a special series focused on wellbeing on job sites, Benjamin shares frontline insights on breaking the stigma, the impact of rigid project schedules, and the compounded stress faced by traveling crews working long hours away from home. Drawing from personal tragedy, he discusses why the industry’s suicide rates demand proactive - not reactive - solutions, and highlights initiatives like New York State’s “Building Hope Through Action” grant, QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training, monthly mental health toolbox talks, and the importance of using resources such as 988 and ManTherapy.org. This powerful conversation challenges construction leaders and workers alike to speak up, check in on one another, and remember: hundreds of people would rather take your call than attend your funeral.

In this episode of BUILD America, we learn from Tractics CEO Tyler VanWinkle about how his company created a project management workflow inspired by those who are the closest to reliable, actionable data: those who are at the jobsite.

In this episode, Kerry Smith Buck speaks with Frank King, former Tonight Show comedy writer turned suicide prevention speaker, about how to start conversations that can save lives in the construction industry. Drawing from his own lifelong battle with depression and near-suicide, Frank explains why construction has the highest suicide rate in the U.S., how to recognize warning signs on the jobsite, what not to say when someone is struggling, and why asking directly about suicide can be a critical intervention. With humor, honesty, and real jobsite stories, this episode highlights why mental health is a safety issue - and how anyone, at any level, can make a difference by starting the conversation.

 
In this episode, Kerry Smith Buck is joined by Dr. Colleen Saringer PhD and Scott Satory to explore why kindness is not just a “nice-to-have,” but a critical workplace safety and mental health strategy in construction. Drawing from Colleen’s lifelong ties to family-owned construction businesses and Scott’s experience leading a multimillion-dollar roofing company, the conversation examines how knowing your people, leading with empathy, setting healthy boundaries with clients, and adapting work practices to protect workers’ wellbeing can reduce risk, improve safety, and save lives. Together, they make a compelling case for kindness as a practical, cost-free tool that helps teams stay alert, supported, and able to go home safely at the end of the day.