Leadership/Management

TCEP 121: From Engineer to CEO and Everything In-Between

July 3, 2019 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 121 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I will be bringing you with me to visit with William T. Thomsen, PE, who is the President and CEO of Urban Engineers of New York, DPC. We will be talking about his career journey and what has factored into his success and progression from engineer to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He’ll also talk about how his Engineering Management degree has helped him in his career.

Engineering Quotes:

Here Are Some of the Questions I Ask Bill Thomsen, PE:

Take us through your career progression from engineer to CEO?
At what point in your career did you become part of the executive leadership team?
What does it take to manage large scale projects like the ones you have managed?
Your father was the President of a construction company, how did his career influence your career?
You have a degree in Engineering Management, how has that degree helped you?
What worries you about the Civil Engineering industry right now?
Is it possible to have work-life balance as an engineering executive?

Here Are Some Key Points Discussed in This Episode About Going from Engineer to CEO:

TCEP 106: The State of Employee Engagement and Why Organizations Have Been Looking at Engagement All Wrong

December 5, 2018 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 106 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Bob Kelleher who is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and consultant. We talk about the importance of employee engagement and Bob also provides some great tips on having empathy in the workplace, and how by doing so, you can help with the overall success of your engineering organization.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some of the questions I ask Bob:

What is your definition of engagement?
Why do you need to engage the WHOLE person?
How do you utilize empathy?
Talk about this idea of selecting and developing the first line leader?
Tell us about the challenge of engagement and the different generations?

Here are some key points discussed in this episode about employee engagement:

TCEP 105: From Civil Engineering to Helping Civil Engineers in Texas Every Day

November 26, 2018 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 105 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I speak with Lindsay O’Leary, PE, LEED AP about her career path from a civil engineer to now working full-time as the Executive Director for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Texas Section where she is helping civil engineers to achieve success on a daily basis.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some of the questions I ask Lindsay about how she went from being a civil engineer to helping civil engineers on a daily basis:

How did you go from being a civil engineer to Executive Director for the ASCE Texas Section?
Do you think you would be able to do this job successfully if you weren’t a civil engineer?
What are some of the challenges the organization is facing that you have to deal with?
What were you dealing during the Hurricane Harvey disaster?

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

TCEP 098: Management Skills that Civil Engineers Should Build

September 24, 2018 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 98 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I speak with Ben Walpole, a writer and editor for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) strategic communications team. We will talk about a few very important management skills that civil engineers should build in order to increase their effectiveness as civil engineering managers.

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some important management skills you should build as a civil engineer to increase your overall success:

TCEP 089: Why Civil Engineering CEOs Need to Focus on People with Nick DeNichilo

July 9, 2018 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 89 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with Nicholas (Nick) DeNichilo P.E., President and CEO of Mott MacDonald North America. Our conversation focused mostly on why civil engineering CEOs need to focus on people and the effect that doing so can have on you in your career and life.

Here are some of the questions I ask Nick about his journey and his work as CEO:

How did you decide that you wanted to go into engineering?
What are some of the things that civil engineers can do in preparation to become a CEO of a civil engineering firm?
How big is the Mott Macdonald “family”?
What is the hardest part of being a CEO?
How do you decide what work you should focus on each day?
As a CEO of a company, how do you maintain a work-life balance?

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

TCEP 071: Career Advice from AE Leaders from Across the Country

November 30, 2017 By Anthony Fasano

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Career Advice from AE Leaders from Across the Country

In episode 071 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I am going to give you advice from some of the most successful AE Leaders in the country. I talk to Brett T. Hart, PE, SE, PEng, Will Schnier, P.E., Mike Nelson, Ernesto Guevara Ortiz M.ASCE and Randy Wilburn about different leadership aspects in the everyday life.

Here are some of the questions I ask the AE Leaders:

• What is one of the biggest things your firm is looking to find in civil engineers?
• How do you help your engineers to be able to focus, but at the same time foster communication?
• Tell me what mindset you take on to serve your staff and keep them going in the right direction?
• What are AE firms looking for when hiring civil engineers?
• Name one of the biggest challenges facing civil engineers today in their careers?
• What are some of the things a President/CEO of a company do on regular basis?

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some key points discussed on career advice from AE leaders across the Country:

TCEP 070: A Day in the Life of a Geotechnical Engineering CEO

November 8, 2017 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 065 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I talk with David Gockel, PE, PP, LEED AP, CEO of Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, about how a day in the life of a geotechnical engineering CEO looks, especially one that is in charge of a very fast-growing firm.

Here are some of the questions I ask Dave:

What prevents engineers from learning other skill sets?
How did you acquire the skills needed to get to where you are today?
Tell me about a memorable success in your career.
Tell me about one of the mistakes you’ve made and what you learned from it.
Is it true that if civil engineers want to achieve a partner/owner status in their firms, that they must be a great business developer?
What is one valuable piece of advice that you can give to a striving seller-doer?
At what point in your career (if ever) did you have a goal of being the CEO?
How would you summarize your job description as CEO?
Would you take us through a typical day as CEO?
What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a CEO?

Engineering Quotes:

Here are some key points discussed on a day in the life of a Geotechnical Engineering CEO:

TCEP 034: Protecting the Environment Through Security: What Civil Engineers Should Know

June 22, 2016 By Anthony Fasano

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In episode 034 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, I interview my co host, Christian Knutson on protecting the environment through security and we also talk about how civil engineers can make a difference to it.

Here are some of the questions I ask Chris:

What is environmental security?
What is included within this framework?
Can you share an example of an environmental security issue?
How have you been supporting environmental security and protection efforts recently as a civil engineer?

Quotes to think about:

Here are some key points discussed in this episode:

TCEP 033: Civil Engineering Interviews from the Society of American Military Engineers 2016 JETC

June 8, 2016 By Anthony Fasano

The Civil Engineering Podcast visits Arizona for the SAME JETC conference…..

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SAME JETC

Episode 33 of The Civil Engineering Podcast was recorded in Phoenix, Arizona, where I interviewed successful individuals at the Society of American Military Engineers (aka SAME) Joint Engineer Training Conference & Expo (JETC).

Here are some of the key points I discussed with ask Adam Hughes during JETC:

Adam is a Civil Engineer in the United States Public Health Service that focuses on ensuring that Indian reservations/communities have clean water. He has been practicing in this industry for 12 years now.
His team consist out of 14 engineers, drafters, construction inspectors and civil engineering technicians. At the moment they are working with two tribes in southern Arizona.
For someone that is interested in management, he recommends to first develop your technical capability and to then develop your verbal and written communication skills. It is also important to find your own management style and gain awareness of your own limitations and preconceptions.
We don’t all see a problem the same way and it is not that one way is right and the other way wrong, it is more of trying to understand each other so that we can effectively communicate and work with people.
It’s not just about being able to crunch the numbers, you’ve got the take the next step if you want to make change as a civil engineer.

Here are some of the key points I discussed with Kris Prasad at JETC:

TCEP 019: Riding The Wave of Change As a Civil Engineer Leader

November 25, 2015 By Christian Knutson, PE, PgMP, PMP

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In episode 019 of The Civil Engineering Podcast, Mickey Addison, a career military officer, author, civil engineer and senior leader, teaches us what it takes to lead in a senior level position, how to handle organizational changes, and the role of mentoring and coaching in civil engineering leaders.

Here are some key points:

On time management:
- Block time off to allow yourself to get off the desk
- Be present to the people around you
- Take personnel actions (things that affect one’s career)
The more energy that you put in to being present to the people that you lead and work with, the higher performing team it becomes.
When the leaders are engaged, the people are engaged.