by Coty Fournier
Welcome to the Construction Management Mentorship Podcast - brought to you by the Industry Alumni Board from the Construction Management program at Michigan State University. We are proudly hosted by Coty Fournier - a distinguished MSU alum, leadership consultant, author, and industry influencer at the intersection of business development and professional development for construction management firms and professionals. <br><br>Join Coty as she interviews prominent board members, graduates and supporters of MSU's Construction Management program - who are generously sharing their unique experiences, career paths, lessons learned, and professional guidance with tomorrow's construction leaders from all around the world.
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🇺🇲
Publishing Since
5/5/2024
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April 6, 2025
<p><strong>INTRODUCING TODAY'S GUEST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>RICH BROWN</strong> is proudly serving as President of Ideal Contracting – where he brings over 20 years of industry experience to the table, in his efforts to oversees all aspects of the company. He previously served as Ideal’s Executive Vice President, and has continually advanced as a leader within the firm and the construction industry at large.</p><p> </p><p>Brown is also the Great Lakes District Council Contractor Co-Chair for IMPACT (which is the Ironworkers Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust). And of course, like many guests on this podcast, he is a proud graduate of Michigan State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Construction Management. </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>By way of background on Ideal Contracting – they are a leading general contractor based in Detroit, Michigan with operations across the U.S. The family-owned, certified MBE has a loyal team of over 400 union, self-performance professionals and more than 150 full-time staff, that honor Ideal’s commitment to building together. Utilizing a flexible array of delivery methods, Ideal Contracting successfully delivers industry-leading projects in a wide range of market sectors, including automotive, manufacturing, sports and entertainment, higher education, energy and petrochemical, and much more. The company’s people-first approach is supported by a best-in-class safety program, robust talent development process, and proactive engagement in the local Southwest Detroit community. Over the past 5 years, the company has experienced record growth, surpassing $500 million in annual revenue, exceeding one million man-hours per year, and maintaining a strong track record of safety excellence. </p><p><br></p><p>If you are interested in learning a thing or two from the President of a highly successful construction company . . . or perhaps becoming one yourself one day . . . this episode with an inspiring Spartan is for you.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH TODAY'S GUEST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Contact information for Rich Brown and other helpful links regarding this episode are listed below:</p><p><br></p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-brown-4281831/</p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/company/ideal-contracting/posts/?feedView=all</p><p>https://idealcontracting.com/</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>[email protected]</p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotyfournier/ </p><p></p><p>Please visit the <a href="https://www.canr.msu.edu/spdc/programs/Construction_Management/index Management Program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Construction Management Program</a> at Michigan State University for more information on how you can build the career of your dreams in the construction management industry.</p>
April 6, 2025
<p><strong>MEET TODAY'S GUEST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>NICK KUELSKE</strong> is the Regional Procurement Manager for Turner Construction Company – based in their Detroit office. </p><p> </p><p>By way of background, Nick grew up in mid Michigan near the campus of Michigan State University. His father worked for a local general contractor and also later bought into another subcontracting business, so Nick was definitely raised around the construction industry. Upon graduation from MSU, he took an entry level position with Turner in Chicago – and has since worn many unique hats for Turner – which is why I was determined to interview him for this podcast. </p><p> </p><p>As you about to hear, his range of experiences is notable, and we talk about some of the important lessons learned and advantages he has gained from many of them. For example, Nick’s project portfolio ranges from mega projects, industrial projects, data centers, healthcare facilities, and stadiums. On the other end of the spectrum, he has also worked in Turner’s Special Projects Division – which is focused on smaller, fast-paced projects. And lastly, he also ran one of Turner’s self-perform divisions, which encompassed crews of skilled tradesmen (e.g. carpenters/laborers/operators) who performed demolition, drywall, drop ceilings, and other general labor on multiple Turner projects – all of which grew his direct building knowledge and expertise in labor productivity and scheduling. </p><p> </p><p>Fast forwarding to today, Nick’s longest tenure with Turner has been in their centralized procurement (or purchasing) department, which he now heads up for the Midwest region. We talked at length about the unique nature of this organizational role in the general contracting industry and the advantages that can be derived from it for all parties. </p><p> </p><p>Outside of work, Nick enjoys working on cars, hunting, and shooting sports. And by the way, he still plays hockey, with loving memories of the days when he played goalie for MSU’s club team and won a national championship. </p><p> </p><p>I started my own career with Turner and I remember it with much fondness and gratitude. They remain one of the world’s most prestigious construction companies – so if you have any interest in learning more about how to build a highly successful career within the Turner ranks, then this episode is for you. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH TODAY'S GUEST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Contact information for Nick Kuelske and other helpful links regarding this episode are listed below:</p><p><br></p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-kuelske/</p><p>https://www.turnerconstruction.com/life-at-turner</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>[email protected]</p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotyfournier/ </p><p></p><p>Please visit the <a href="https://www.canr.msu.edu/spdc/programs/Construction_Management/index Management Program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Construction Management Program</a> at Michigan State University for more information on how you can build the career of your dreams in the construction management industry.</p>
October 28, 2024
<p><strong>MEET TODAY'S GUEST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>STEVE BLACK</strong> is the Quality Support Director for Power Construction – based out of Chicago. He is a graduate of the Construction Management program at Michigan State University, where has tirelessly supported the program as a student, a graduate student, and a former leading member of the Industry and Alumni Board. Steve has built an impressive career path through long and loyal runs with McCarthy and now Power Construction, while serving in a wide variety of roles, from intern, to superintendent to project management and leadership of numerous training and talent development initiatives. His portfolio of completed projects range in size from $3M to $100M and covers many sectors, including parking garages, data and telecom centers, manufacturing plants, and healthcare facilities. And because he is too humble to say it, I will say it for him—he is a master teacher in the industry, who is passionately dedicated to sharing what he has learned with others. </p><p> </p><p>We discussed many important topics for emerging construction management professionals, such as:</p><p> </p><p>· The advantages of working for an ESOP</p><p>· The advantages of working for a GC who self-performs some of their work</p><p>· Why you might want to consider going to work for a large scale trade contractor</p><p>· What happens when preparedness meets luck</p><p>· Why it is valuable to be a great teacher in the construction industry</p><p>· Or a rainmaker</p><p>· The critical importance of life-long learning</p><p>· And many other topics.</p><p> </p><p>And one more thing – Steve wears a beautiful Rose Bowl Championship ring from his glory days as a football player at MSU. So of course we had a little fun talking about that, and reminiscing about several other athletes at MSU who have successfully transferred their teamwork skills and competitive spirits into the construction management arena.</p><p> </p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH TODAY'S GUEST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Contact information for Steve Black and other helpful links regarding this episode are listed below:</p><p><br></p><p>[email protected]</p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-black-94125413/</p><p>https://www.powerconstruction.net/</p><p>https://www.powerconstruction.net/careers/life-power</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>[email protected]</p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotyfournier/ </p><p></p><p>Please visit the <a href="https://www.canr.msu.edu/spdc/programs/Construction_Management/index Management Program" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Construction Management Program</a> at Michigan State University for more information on how you can start building the career of your dreams in the construction management industry.</p>
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