BUILD St. Louis

Episode 9: Women Construction Company Executives with Amy Berg

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, host Kerry Smith interviews Amy Berg, president of S.M Wilson and Company, a St. Louis-based design build construction management and general contracting firm. Berg, who has 30 years of experience in the construction industry, discusses her experience as one of the first women to hold the title of the Office of President in St. Louis Construction History. She talks about women in construction then and now, and how the industry is changing to better support women and people of color.
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.

Episode 8: Smart Cybersecurity Strategies with Jennifer Beckage

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, Jennifer A. Beckage, Esq., CIPP/US, CIPP/E, founder and managing director of The Beckage Firm, discusses the unique vulnerabilities that construction companies and developers face from cyber attacks. She outlines two main categories of attacks: fraudulent wire transfers and ransomware, and provides a checklist for protecting against these threats. Beckage also stresses the importance of strong contracts with third-party vendors, multifactor authentication on email accounts, and having a plan for handling data security incidents. She recommends investing in cybersecurity insurance.
 
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.
 

Episode 7: Why Aren’t Contractors Bidding on Public Projects? with Steve Bannes

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, host Kerry Smith interviews Steve Bannes about the lack of interest in public projects from contractors and the potential reasons behind this. They discuss the traditional delivery system and alternative methods like design-build, as well as the federal government's use of QBs for project execution strategy.
 
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.
 

Episode 6: Avoiding Construction Defect Litigation with Quinn Murphy

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, host Kerry Smith interviews attorney Quinn Murphy, who heads the construction and receivable recovery industry teams at Sandberg Phoenix. Murphy discusses construction defect litigation and provides six tips on how to avoid it. The episode covers topics such as the parties involved in construction defect claims, types of claims, and the importance of a well-defined scope of work and strictly enforcing the change order process.
 
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.

Episode 5: The Anatomy of the St. Louis Region’s Construction Workforce with Timothy Sullivan, PhD

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, Kerry Smith interviews Timothy S. Sullivan, in the Department of Economics and Finance and the Director of the Office of Regional Economic Analysis in the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. They discuss the shortage of workers in the construction industry, particularly among young men. Tim shares statistics on labor force participation rates and discusses the impact of inflation on wages and the need for programs to expose young people to construction occupations.
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.

Episode 4: Clayco’s Diversity and Inclusion Program with Sandra Marks

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, host Kerry Smith interviews Sandra Marks, Senior Vice President at Clayco. They discuss Clayco Rising, the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion program, and specifically its efforts to promote minority participation on job sites. Marks explains that the program is the culmination of over 25 years of work by the company to be inclusive of all contractors, regardless of race, gender, religion, or background. They also discuss the construction industry's efforts to address mental health and suicide rates, as well as the growing importance of diversity in the industry.
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.

Episode 3: The Rise of Speculative Industrial Space in St. Louis with Steve Zuber

In this episode of the BUILD St. Louis podcast, host Kerry Smith interviews Steve Zuber, a partner at BARBERMURPHY, about the rise of speculative industrial space in the St. Louis region. Zuber discusses the supply of industrial warehouse space, the difference between heavy industrial and consumer good users and the challenges of finding enough labor to support the growth of industrial space.
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.

Episode 2: Hammering Out Solutions to the Construction Labor Workforce Shortage with Scott Byrne

In this episode of BUILD St. Louis, host Kerry Smith interviews Scott Byrne, St. Louis regional director of the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council. Scott discusses the increasing demand for construction workers in the St. Louis region and how the Carpenters are addressing the workforce shortage. He talks about the importance of recruitment, especially among women and minorities, and how the union is reaching out much earlier than ever before and in new and creative ways to schools and communities to educate young people about careers in the trades. Scott also emphasizes the need for strong relationships between contractors, owners and labor organizations to ensure success in the construction industry. Overall, the episode provides valuable insights into the current state of the construction industry in St. Louis and the efforts being made to build a strong and diverse workforce.
For more information, check www.informationworks.org.