Coffee With Jim & James

Join us this week as we discuss another in the 7 Habits series, looking at Habit #6, "Synergize." The passion is evident as Jim and James talk about what it means to have synergy in your team, and for the "whole to be greater than the parts."

Jim and James discuss 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and how easy it is to apply these skills in your everyday interactions.

Jim and James discuss Habit 2 of Stephen R. Covey's book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Jim and James talk about the book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and what it means to be proactive.

This week's episode is something different. Jim & James dig into what it means to "sharpen the saw" which is derived from the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

In a full-circle finale, Coffee with Jim and James wraps up its journey where it all began—Texas Gas Association (TGA). The episode is a heartfelt celebration of industry friendships, leadership transitions, and a few emotional mic drops. Jim announces his recent move to GridHawk Holdings, reflecting on 25+ years in the industry and the relationships that shaped his journey. He emphasizes that while roles may change, the bonds in the utility sector remain strong. The episode features conversations with outgoing and incoming TGA chairs (Kyle Slaughter and Jeff Henderson), who share their vision for a growing, more inclusive association, including bringing associate members like Coleman Sterling (EWN) into leadership roles. Coleman Sterling, Billy Kidd, Larry Alspaugh, Jeff Henderson, Kyle Slaughter, and other guests reflect on industry evolution, knowledge sharing, mentorship, and how much younger generations are changing the game—with more empathy, more tech, and a lot more humility. The team gets nostalgic, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, unexpected highlights from traveling across North America, and what they’ve personally gained—from learning field operations firsthand to sparking conversations about mental health and sobriety. Ashley Jesko, a behind-the-scenes powerhouse, is recognized for her pivotal role in expanding the show’s reach in its final year, injecting creativity and connecting with new voices. In closing, Jim, James, and Ashley reflect on what the show gave them: visibility, humility, a broader platform to serve, and lasting friendships across the industry. It’s not just a goodbye—it’s a thank you. And maybe, just maybe, a "we’ll be back

In this special on-the-road episode, the EWN team—Jim, James, and Ashley—take you behind the scenes of a memorable visit to Indianapolis with our longtime partners at Miller Pipeline. What started with a few laughs and a hotel booking mishap turned into a powerful deep-dive into core values in action: safety, quality, commitment, and reputation. Over the course of the trip, we had the privilege of joining multiple job sites, speaking with Miller team members, and witnessing first-hand how their culture and values are deeply embedded in everything they do—from mentoring interns and practicing knowledge transfer, to executing complex urban gas infrastructure work with precision and pride. Special thanks to Kevin Miller, Abby, Sage, Stephanie Stapert, Al, and many others who made us feel right at home. Shoutout to Citizens Energy Group, CenterPoint, and Versiv for joining the collaborative spirit on site and highlighting how cross-organizational teamwork powers this industry forward. Whether we were discussing horizontal directional drilling or enjoying iconic shrimp cocktails at St. Elmo’s, this trip reminded us what excellence in the field really looks like. And as always, our goal is to carry those stories back to the wider industry—ensuring the knowledge, commitment, and pride in our work continues to echo far and wide. Thank you to Miller Pipeline and the greater Artera group for opening your doors and giving us a front-row seat to the incredible work you're doing. This one’s for the books.

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Karen Harbert- American Gas Association Allisyn H- Magnolia River Shawn Hailey- LineQuest Paul Baugher- GridHawk Holdings Sue Forrester- American Gas Association Dale Anderson- Miller Pipeline     Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the APGA Fall Operations Conference! #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Matt Dodd John Fluharty Khrysanne Kerr   Sarah Magruder-Lyle   Jemmie Wang   Josh Hinrichs   Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the APGA Fall Operations Conference! #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley    

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry.   Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Paul Wehnert - Heath Consultants Rhett Krieger - RCP Inc. Ryan Ellis Steve Allen -EWN Stephen Mayfield - City of Tallahassee John Olshefki - Ingevity Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the APGA Fall Operations Conference! #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley   Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the APGA Fall Operations Conference! #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry.  Michael Shoemaker James Goble Kevin Parker   Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from InfraSource, A Quanta Services Company!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley  

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Dave Schryver Keith Ormsby Mike Pence Victoria Price Langan Cruz Gonzales    Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the Florida Natural Gas Association Symposium+Expo event!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry.   Rob Wilson Chad Calaway John Burke Chris Hiestand   Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the Florida Energy Pipeline Association event!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry.   Sam Ariaratnam David Maddux Kevin Miller Kevin Salazar Craig Besa    Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the Western Regional Gas Conference event!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #Energyworldnet #SometimesAshley

In this eye-opening episode of CWJJ, the crew heads to Oakland to join PG&E employees in the field, discussing the implementation of the company’s HEAT program. Created to protect PG&E’s most valuable asset—their employees—the HEAT program was designed to address the rise in threats faced by field workers, including robberies, stabbings, and gun violence while performing their duties in areas like Oakland. With firsthand stories from the front lines, the episode explores the complex dynamics of keeping utilities running in a city facing extraordinary challenges. PG&E shares how they’re tackling this crisis and their efforts to support and safeguard their workforce in the face of new and unpredictable dangers.

This month, in recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness, we had the privilege of hearing from a few brave members of the Artera team who shared their personal stories with us. Their courage in opening up about their experiences is a testament to the importance of this cause. Thank you to Dustin Dier, Eileen Atkinson, and James Fox for sharing your story. Together, we’re committed to raising awareness and positively impacting mental health within our industry. Don’t miss this important conversation! #MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidePrevention #ConstructionSafety #EWN #Artera

Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Stuart Salters- APGA Rodney Dill- Gas Authority  Sara Gillis- Atlanta Gas Light Bill DeFoor- Gas Authority PJ Zonsius- NextEra Mike Jewell- City of Covington Ian Skelton- Atlanta Gas Light Chris Turner- SouthStar Energy Services Mary Landrieu- Natural Allies of Clean Energy   Subscribe and listen to more great conversations from the Natural Gas Association of Georgia event!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #EnergyWorldnet #SometimesAshley

Part two of the CGA episode is here! Listen along as we highlight some of our favorite guests. Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry.  Khrysanne Kerr- Common Ground Alliance Forrest Sim- GPR Consortium JJ Harrison- 811 Ambassador Kendra Geiger- Badger Infrastructure Solutions Jon Smith- Veteran Horizons, LLC Bob Bishop- PelicanCorp   Subscribe and listen to more great conversations about life, BBQ, and the energy industry!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #EnergyWorldnet #SometimesAshley

Part one of the CGA episode is here! Listen along as we highlight some of our favorite guests. Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Sarah Magruder Lyle – Common Ground Alliance Kelly Cahill- Common Ground Alliance Steve Cleaver- PG&E Wade Farr- EGW Ed Landgraf- Marine Safe/Texas811 Adam Zeciri- Locating Dynamics Subscribe and listen to more great conversations about life, BBQ, and the energy industry!  #CWJJ #CoffeeWithJimandJames #EWN #EnergyWorldnet #SometimesAshley

Coffee with Jim and James - Episode 178 Live @ The Global Excavation Safety Conference pt. 1   The Global Excavation Safety Conference episode is here! Listen along as we highlight some of our favorite guests. Follow along with some of these special guests as they make an impact in our industry. Scott Landes (Excavation Safety Alliance) & Roger Cox (ACTS Now!) Kesley Tweed (Public Association for Public Awareness -Papa) Ron Peterson (National Utility Locating Contractors Association -NULCA) Jemmie Wang (acretivPartners) Steve Allen (EWN) Louis Panzer (NC 811) Louis Panzer (NC 811)     Subscribe and listen to more great conversations about life, BBQ, and the energy industry! #CWJJ #Coffeewithjimandjames #EWN