Elevated Access | The Inside Story

Chad Hughes welcomes Andrew Fulford, Surface Land Manager of Birchcliff Energy, to the show to talk about Birchcliff’s unique culture and his thirty-plus-year career. Andrew, who got into the industry by going to Olds College in what was then called the Land Agent Program, got offered his role at Birchcliff twelve years ago, and he reflects on changes in his career and the industry while offering advice to newcomers in the surface land business. Andrew discusses how the always-changing industry offers a lot of opportunity for growth in a career due to the progress and new skill sets required with the shifts. He says it does lead to being a bit of a jack of all trades and includes project management as one of his roles now. One of the things he learned very recently was the role of Indigenous relations when he not only needed to understand the new consultation regulations, but also become immersed in Indigenous history and culture so he could adapt to their way of doing business. Chad and Andrew talk about company culture and what makes Birchcliff so unique and positive. Andrew highlights the relationships frontline people form with communities and the smooth communication they develop. He reflects on how much things have changed in the industry and how the training now would be substantially different than when he first started. His advice to people looking for a career in the industry is to learn about the whole industry, not just land.“... when you first get into the surface land business, if you're passionate about it … I say to people, go to where you will learn the most. Go to those. Look for those places where you will gain the most skills and diverse skills. Don't just focus on one. It may not be the best-paying job that you take off the start, but it's probably the one that's where you're going to learn the most, and it's probably going to take you away from home for longer periods of time. I spent a good part of the first part of my career, you know, behind the wheel of a vehicle and sometimes away from home for 1 to 2 weeks at a time… but I'll tell you what. It paid off in spades towards the latter part of my career. And the skills that I built and the understanding that I had about the business when I did that.” - Andrew FulfordAbout Andrew Fulford:Andrew is the Surface Land Manager for Birchcliff Energy, responsible for surface land access, community and stakeholder engagement, indigenous relations and managing a team of 5 surface professionals.He graduated Olds College in 1986 with a Land Agent diploma and over the next dozen years worked as a consulting landman for several land brokers and a royalty trust company.  In the late 90’s he moved “in-house” to the role of Senior Surface Landman for PanCanadian Petroleum, a major exploration and production company which later merged with Alberta Energy Corp. to become into EnCana Corporation.  Here he managed a one of the surface land teams focused on Coal Bed Methane development in southern Alberta.  In 2012 he moved to his present role at Birchcliff Energy Ltd.  an intermediate oil and natural gas company based in Calgary with operations focused on the Montney/Doig resources play in north western Alberta.With over 35 years in the land industry, he has been involved with a diverse variety of projects across all 4 western provinces including acquisition of linear right of ways for powerlines, natural gas and telecom, wellsites, gathering systems and gas processing facilities, freehold and crown mineral land projects, stakeholder and indigenous relations and crown surface land disposition acquisitions.He has worked with the Southern Alberta Institute for Technology to help update and develop their Surface Land Management Course which he also taught for a number of years and has also developed and taught short courses for CAPL and CAPLA (now CALEP and LEMAC) over the past 15 years.Additionally, he has volunteered on various industry committee which presently include the CALEP – Field Acquisition Management Committee and the Olds College, Surface Land Management Program - Industry Advisory Committee.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinAndrew Fulford |Surface Land Manager, Birchcliff Energy: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes invites James Thurston, a longtime friend and experienced land agent, to the show to discuss insights on their generation and its alignment with the industry. James Thurston reflects on his journey, emphasizing the importance of networking and building relationships during his time in the land agent program. He shares how chance and curiosity led him to the field, working on the Alliance pipeline and later in various locations across Western Canada.James explores the unique characteristics of his and Chad’s generation, shaped by a lack of parental presence during childhood, fostering resilience, self-sufficiency, and a nomadic mindset. He highlights the generation's ability to adapt to industry changes, particularly during the boom in coal bed methane, and how they navigated through subsequent challenges like the 2008 financial crisis and the fracking revolution. Despite the positive traits, James acknowledges the downsides, such as reluctance to ask for help and potential loneliness.Chad and James touch on the evolution of the land agent role, from individual well projects to centralized pad locations and a shift to Crown land. James emphasizes the importance of adaptability and problem-solving in the ever-changing industry. Their conversation reveals the unique characteristics of their generation and its impact on their successful navigation through the dynamic landscape of land agency.“... if I didn't know the answer, I really made a conscious effort to seek it out. And it was a lot harder back then. As you remember, we didn't have the internet like we do now. We didn't have access to information, but I did have a large network of friends from Olds. And, you know, I leaned on that. … we had to all kind of learn from each other, you know, there was a lot of talk. There was a lot of consensus. There was a lot of sitting at a table and working things out and bouncing ideas off each other and really being open to that idea that not every problem has a simple solution.” - James ThurstonAbout James Thurston:For nearly 23 years, James has journeyed through Western Canada acquiring land and overseeing large-scale acquisitions. His path started in Camrose, Alberta, where he joined a small but busy land broker. Over the course of five years, he dedicated himself to acquiring hundreds of upstream projects. It was a time of growth and development, both personally and professionally. But when the call of opportunity beckoned, James found himself in Calgary. There, he took on the role of an in-house landman at Penn West overseeing large-scale drilling programs in West Central Alberta. As the company underwent transitions, James recognized the need for a new path and that journey brought him to Shell in 2014. He’s been able to leverage his skills and knowledge and enjoy a successful career at Shell during an ever-changing time.James is also a proud husband and father of four young children who keep him on his feet and have helped him grow as a person and as a project manager and landman.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinJames Thurston | Discipline Lead, Surface Land, Shell Canada: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Chad Hughes welcomes Blandon Granger, Supervisor of Real Estate Services for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), to the show. Blandon has been in the energy industry at SMUD for the past seventeen years and supervises asset management and complex acquisitions. He talks with Chad about the impacts of EV charging and urban development on his role. Blandon explains that SMUD has a “very aggressive” zero carbon plan and by 2030 wants all their energy to be from clean sources. He talks about how SMUD approaches that goal by developing themselves as well as partnering with developers with similar goals. Renewable energy and green initiative projects come with their own challenges that Blandon describes for Chad.Chad and Blandon discuss how the real estate development deals are made, how SMUD is a public agency with an elected board of directors, how the green energy shift comes with decarbonization and the impacts of urban and residential growth on how his department operates. EV charging especially has come with its own challenges and Blandon addresses this and more with Chad in this eye-opening interview. “So, you know, a big concern, I think, anywhere is wiping out [agriculture] lands for these solar projects. Agriculture is a big customer for us. I mean, you know, we've got agricultural customers, it's a part of our heritage in the valley here. I don't think SMUD really wants to be going out there and just decimating significant farmlands and so forth. So the thought is you would bring in compatible type of AG uses. So what we've seen so far is mainly grazing. Sheep are great. They don't bother or destroy the facilities.” - Blandon GrangerAbout Blandon Granger:At SMUD, Blandon Granger manages all real estate activities of the nation’s sixth-largest publicly owned electric utility. With an annual budget of $1.6 billion, SMUD is a leader in renewable technologies and developing energy projects. Blandon’s group provides services for acquisition, management and disposition of all land rights necessary to operate an electrical utility with generation, transmission, distribution, retail, and administrative facilities. Blandon has also served on the City of Roseville Public Utilities Commission since 2012 and is responsible to the city council for recommendations on policies concerning evaluation, operations, and compliance with state and federal rules and regulations relating to the city's utilities within the city limits. Blandon has achieved the International Right of Way Association's (IRWA) Senior Agent (SR/WA) designation and serves on IRWA's International Electric and Utilities Committee and is the past chair of the Asset Management Committee. ---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinBlandon Granger | Supervisor of Real Estate Services at SMUD: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Chad Hughes welcomes Jennifer Tidmarsh, Vice President of Indigenous Relations & Partnerships with Ontario Power Generation, to the show. Jennifer talks about the development of small modular reactors in the nuclear space and the challenges surrounding presenting those solutions to the community.Jennifer explains some of the public perceptions around nuclear power that have been shaped by events like Three Mile Island, Fukushima, and Chernobyl, and even pop culture references like the nuclear power plant in The Simpsons. Her work involves a lot of education around changing those perceptions and explaining the new initiatives in place for nuclear waste management. Chad and Jennifer discuss the Indigenous community's concerns about the storage and handling of nuclear waste, specific facts about nuclear waste, the complex regulatory process for it, and the value of nuclear energy for the future. Jennifer sheds light on the environmental assessments that go into nuclear power generation and how the OPG works to alleviate negative perceptions of nuclear overall and educate the public on safeties in place.“But really the perception has been we want more information about nuclear as a whole, not just those little snippets of, okay, here's the permit we need for this, for the reactor. It's where does nuclear fit into the Ontario grid, and why are you doing this? So we've spent a lot of time really talking about, you know, pathways to decarbonization, which was a report that was put out by the IESO. And you know what, the fact that we need generation and why do we need generation and what's the plan going forward. And so that's been, you know, us doing a lot of that groundwork. And we have had pushback. You know, I can't sugarcoat it all, right?” - Jennifer TidmarshAbout Jennifer Tidmarsh:With a strong background in the energy sector, Jennifer has worked with various organizations, associations, regulated and unregulated businesses, Indigenous communities, governments, and ministerial departments. Prior to becoming the Vice President of Indigenous Relations and Partnerships at Ontario Power Generation, Jennifer was the President of Transmission in Canada for NextEra Energy, the largest renewables developer in North America. In addition to business development in Canada, Jennifer also led the development and construction of the East West Tie transmission project in Northwestern Ontario, which went into service in March 2022.  The East West Tie project is proud to have an equity partner in six First Nations communities, as well as training and employing a large Indigenous workforce in the region.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinJennifer Tidmarsh | Vice President, Indigenous Relations & Partnerships: website | linkedin | opg instagram Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Chad Hughes welcomes Pablo Gutiérrez, Managing Director of O’Gorman&Hagerman professional services firm, to the show to talk about what it’s like to acquire land access and engage with the public in Mexico. O’Gorman&Hagerman started in corporate law but moved to provide agrarian services which is where they now specialize. Pablo explains that Mexico has public and private property, just like the US and Canada, but they also have ejidos and communities which are social property mainly in rural areas which are under agrarian law. He explains how different states have different regulations for the various property types and what it’s like to navigate the complex system of authorities governing land rights.Chad and Pablo discuss the complexities of the differing information systems mapping each property type, the process required to assess routes and gain access, and how he and his firm would go about appraising and negotiating compensation. Pablo shares a lot of information about the Mexican right of way system and describes the kind of development with the most activity there. This episode sheds a lot of light on the differences and also similarities between our system and that of Mexico.“... safety is one of our main concerns as a company. It's a very tough one to solve because you don't actually know who to trust. And in each community, you don't know at the onset who's there. We have a team of social experts that through these interviews, try to understand what's happening on the field, who's there, who has interests, who are the leaders, what are they doing if there is organized crime there, and at what level? What do they control if they have contact with the lands or not? So we try to know where we're going. But there are many things that are not apparent, that you cannot see. And that's one, I would say, main risk. And the other is we just have many roads and many areas in Mexico that that are just dangerous at some hours or times or, you know, that you don't want to be on the wrong moment at the wrong time” - Pablo GutiérrezAbout Pablo Gutiérrez:Pablo Gutiérrez de la Peza. Lawyer, MBA and Managing Partner of O’Gorman&Hagerman, a medium-sized law and professional services firm specializing in Lands, Permits and Social Licenses for infrastructure projects in Mexico. Pablo leads a team of high-performance multidisciplinary teams that have successfully acquired the Right of Way for some of the most complex and challenging projects in Mexico. He is a member of the IRWA International Committee.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinPablo Gutiérrez | Managing Director at O’Gorman&Hagerman: website | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Chad Hughes welcomes Robert McCallum, President of McCallum Environmental, to the show. Robert has been working in the environmental consulting industry for over 25 years and he specifically brings his experience in working across varied Canadian provincial jurisdictions to the conversation.Robert is a professional biologist registered in Alberta and though he started his career in oil and gas, in 2003 he was pulled into a renewable energy project and has been working in the renewable space since. His company is called into projects to do environmental assessment work; looking at birds, wetlands, watercourses, and land use habitat. Chad and Robert discuss how Robert’s experience in the practical side of the industry helps him communicate the regulatory processes to clients, how the regulatory boards differ from province to province, the lengthy time frames involved in obtaining permitting approvals, and how to balance project and client needs against environmental requirements. Robert’s insight sheds light on how provincial regulations are the same in spirit but very different in process and execution, something to always consider when working across jurisdictions. “And you can't really take the approach that one thing is more important than the other or one thing is just going to be a token effort at the end of this and we can just move forward with it. So you really need to have it all lined up in the beginning and then you can check them off. Oh yeah, that's not going to be applicable. We don't need to worry about it. We've had the Department of National Defense come back and say that's going to interfere with our radars and no, you can't have turbines there. Now, the Department of National Defense doesn't have the authority to say you can't have radars there. But when the regulatory agency hears the Department of National Defense doesn't want turbines, that holds a lot of weight” - Robert McCallumAbout Robert McCallum:Robert has been working in the regulatory consulting industry and has worked throughout Canada with a variety of industries and people for over 25 years. He has learned that no matter the industry or location, Project Management is about people. Working as a team, having fun, and enjoying the accomplishment of a successful project.He has extensive project management experience in an owner and consulting environment and he understands and can articulate technical, business and project management functions associated with project development and execution. Robert understands typical owner-company project sanctioning / funding cycles and business drivers. He has a demonstrated ability to adjust Project Management approaches to meet the requirements of projects with varying scopes, complexity, risk, constraints, etc. while understanding the implications of process variance. He also has extensive planning, regulatory, construction and commissioning planning and execution experience.What sets Robert apart is both his responsiveness and ability to bring a big-picture approach to all the assessments he is part of. This comes from working on projects through assessment, permitting, construction monitoring, operations monitoring, and reclamation. ---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinRobert McCallum | Project Management, Environmental Consulting and Assessment, President at McCallum Environmental Ltd: website | linkedin | email Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes is joined by Senior Real Estate Infrastructure Advisor Gordon MacNair. Gordon has spent time with the RWA and worked across more than six countries. He shares advice along with the similarities and differences between the jurisdictions.Gordon worked in the BC Ministry of Highways and later for Ontario Hydro, among other companies in his career, which has given him great experience in acquiring land for major land assemblies. It was when he was working for the City of Ottawa that he became heavily involved with the International Railway Association as a volunteer before moving up to become the international president. In his presidential capacity, he has worked alongside people from the UK, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, the US, and Canada.Chad and Gordon discuss the similarities in the industry that exist across different countries and how the work is handled. Gordon also explains the significant differences between the varied jurisdictions, with a not insignificant difference being in terminology. Gordon shares which differences he sees as positives that he’d like to see adopted elsewhere, differing safety and risk situations, and some key lessons he has learned that he imparts as solid advice to those looking to similarly work internationally.“In the past, whenever I think about land assembly, I think you're putting together land for subdivisions or it's for commercial development, industrial development, residential development or whatever. But a lot of countries, especially the UK as well as Australia, they refer to land assembly in terms of you're putting projects together for your infrastructure real estate, whether it's the highways or whether it's the hydro lines or transmission lines, whatever the case may be. So again, a little nuance there with regards to the difference when you're talking about terminology.” - Gordon MacNairAbout Gordon MacNair:Gordon E. MacNair is a Senior Real Estate Infrastructure Advisor employed with MacNair Consulting Inc. His former position was with the City of Ottawa as the Director of the Corporate Real Estate Office where his team oversaw all real estate matters for the City of Ottawa. He is also a certified lecturer for the IRWA and the AIC and has published numerous articles on infrastructure real estate matters. Gord served as the International President of the IRWA and is currently serving as the Chair of the International Relations Committee. Mr. MacNair has taught courses and seminars on infrastructure real estate issues throughout Canada and the United States as well as Australia, South Africa, and the UK.Episode Clarification Notes:Title clarification: Gordon was the Real Estate Manager, not Property Manager as stated. He started off as a Property Agent, then was promoted to Real Estate Manager.Job clarification: Gordon served as the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation, not with the COO as stated.Andrea Carolan clarification: Gordon worked with Andrea, not for her as stated.Book clarification: A book was mentioned as being by Dr. James McKellar but James is not a Dr (PhD), he is a Professor. The book is by Professor James McKellar. Gordon served as the COO (Chief Operating Officer) of Ottawa Community Lands Development Corporation, not with the COO as stated.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinGordon MacNair | Senior Real Estate Infrastructure Advisor at MacNair Consulting Inc: linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes is joined by Tim Robillard, Vice-Presisdent of Engagement & Operations for Communica Public Affairs, to discuss the energy transition. Tim draws from his background and experience to talk about how the energy transition may create new interests or concerns for stakeholders in the future.Tim has been in the energy industry in various roles for over 25 years. He got his start in peer mediation programs in high school which taught him the value of people talking things through. Mediation and dispute resolution is in his nature, his calling. He believes there is a regulatory backdrop to all healthy dialogue between stakeholders, communities, and industry players.Chad and Tim Robillard talk about the one time he was arrested at an open house for a coal mine project, the different skill sets he draws on in his current work, the human component of the energy industry, how regulatory bodies tie back to the people, and his forecast for the future of the industry. Tim has a keen way of connecting the dots between ideals and issues, and he understands the need for an empathetic human connection in the work that he does, as well as a recognition of regulatory changes. “There are human needs that need to be met, and there are ways in which energy companies try and meet those needs. Getting there is the tricky part, and that's where folks like us can come in.” - Tim RobillardAbout Tim Robillard:Tim brings over 20 years of Energy Industry public affairs and engagement experience in both Canada and the US to his role as Senior Manager, Engagement at Communica.   Known for his diverse leadership and conflict management skills, Tim has led hundreds of teams in a wide variety of energy sector projects in different regulatory jurisdictions through the lifecycle of an asset.Tim has been an active member on the CER Land Matters Group and was a designer & implementer of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs for the CER, AER and BC OGC.  Tim is Chartered Mediator with the ADR Institute of Canada and has mediated hundreds of energy industry and public disputes, enabling him and Communica to support their clients to better navigate through complex work and enable better Indigenous and stakeholder relationships with companies.Tim has a Master of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and ensures that our clients work always has the best chance of permitting success with a balance of meaningful stakeholder involvement that enhances understanding, trust and a company’s reputation in the community.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinTim Robillard | Vice-President, Engagement & Operations - Communica : website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes welcomes Jeff Burke - Environment, Land and Emissions Governance for TC Energy - to the show to talk about non-technical risk across jurisdictions. Jeff addresses common challenges that can be expected whether you’re in Canada, the US, or Mexico, and shares great advice for land access professionals.Jeff started out in construction and maintenance projects for a Canadian national railway company. Through that he gained an understanding of the ways in which industry impacts land owners, which ultimately led him into his land career. With his current company, TC Energy, whom he’s been with for over ten years, he has worked in and around land, and in Indigenous relations and environmental regulatory roles.Chad and Jeff Burke talk about how the pandemic changed communication, the relational skill set required to work in the land industry, evaluating risks in terms of land rights, and the commonalities in the disciplines that apply regardless of jurisdiction. Jeff’s advice on managing non-technical risk and how to get a project out of the gate is born from vast experience. His insight will prove valuable to anyone working in land access or project development careers.“And, you know, the relationship management and the ability to form relationships, specifically with landowners, is a critical piece. I look for this in all of the people that do our work. It is absolutely necessary that you have the ability to build those relationships, be relatable, show empathy, communicate effectively, etcetera.” - Jeff BurkeAbout Jeff Burke:Jeff Burke has been with TC Energy since 2013 and has held various management positions, including in Land, Indigenous Relations, Environment and Regulatory affairs. He is currently the Director of Environment and Land Governance, overseeing enterprise level requirements, risk management and strategy for the Environment and Land functions. Over his career, he has been deeply involved in leading the acquisition and management of land rights, and landowner engagement across North America.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinJeff Burke | Director - Environment, Land and Emissions Governance for TC Energy: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jon Lovink, Western Canada’s most experienced media coach, joins Chad Hughes on the show to talk about trust and the media. Jon has a program called CRED which is effective for building trust in scenarios from one-on-one conversations to crisis or media. He gets into details with Chad.Jon describes how he started in news, first as a reporter and eventually as a senior producer for CBC News, which led him to coaching. His speciality, what his company focuses on, is media coaching. At its core, Jon says media training is all about overcoming people’s fear of public speaking. There is an added level of overcoming distrust in the media right now, and Jon shares insight on that.Chad and Jon Lovink talk about shaping the headlines in communications, building trust through verbal and body language, controlling the outcome of interviews, and Jon’s CRED program. Jon breaks down CRED into C for concern, R for responsiveness, E for expertise, and D for dedication. He and Chad examine how these work into different situations and help prepare you for speaking about a crisis. Jon has a wealth of experience and his stories and insights are light bulb moments on how to handle media.“It really is about shaping the outcome, it's about taking charge of the engagement with reporters. And you know, knowing how to… be outcome oriented.” - Jon LovinkAbout Jon Lovink:Jon Lovink is Lovink Media Inc’s president, senior coach and counsel. He has 20 years of intensive media and spokesperson training and counsel experience across Canada and the US. Few media trainers in Canada can lay claim to his combination of years of media and crisis communications training and counsel experience with his 20 years of background in the trenches of day-to-day news and current affairs operations. His work as a communications strategist puts him in contact with the news media on a weekly basis and he is thoroughly familiar with the current trends in print, radio and TV and social media.From communications strategy to research to reporting, news assignment to line-up, hiring to editorial decision-making, Jon has worked in all areas of news operations. This adds significant authenticity and relevance to the training and counsel he provides.In addition, Jon has worked outside the news business as a Director of Communications for three large national organizations and has won an International Association of Business Communicators Gold Quill Award and the American Marketing Association’s Masters of Marketing Award. He served on the Board of the Canadian Public Relations Society as well as other not-for- profit Boards He is a graduate of Queens University and UBC.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinJon Lovink | Media Coach / President of Lovink Media Inc: website | linkedin | “on being credible” by jon lovink Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes welcomes Charles Neustaedter, the Realty Section Manager at the City of Surrey in BC, to the show to discuss negotiations. Their conversation covers different types of negotiating as well as the importance of preparation in determining the right approach to use. When Charles started at the City of Surrey in 1993, things were very different. He has seen a lot of growth in both the city and technology surrounding his job through the years. He also credits his time with the City as providing him with great mentors. One of the things Charles stresses is the need for a rapport with people, being able to form a relationship.Chad and Charles talk about different negotiation approaches, using the “funnel technique” to handle a difficult situation, why Charles works to find commonality between himself and the property owner, and the necessity of time to forge a successful negotiation. Charles advises that training never ends, that there is never a time to stop finding tools to aid in your work. This is a very insightful interview on the ins and outs of making deals with people in a respectful and successful manner.“... I always have the philosophy that there's no stupid question. And so even at the risk of perhaps being a bit self-deprecating, I'll ask the question anyways. Because I just have this desire to understand and if I have that understanding, then I can certainly share that with someone whose property is being impacted. And I would also suggest [that] your communication skills are hugely important as well.” - Charles NeustaedterAbout Charles Neustaedter:As of 2022, Charles Neustaedter has twenty-nine years of experience at the City of Surrey in the Real Estate Division. He manages two sections in the Real Estate Division: Property Acquisition Section (civil works projects) and the Conveyancing Section.Charles is conversant in civil design and assisting with solutions to mitigate property impact. He is keenly interested in a collaborative problem solving approach with a servant leadership mindset. He truly considers working with Civil Engineers, Appraisers, Lawyers and Property Owners to achieve consensual settlements for capital projects of great importance. Charles works at building relationships as he believes that to be imperative to success.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinCharles Neustaedter | Realty Section Manager at City of Surrey: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes welcomes Eric Barnett, Director of Development for Vistra Corp, to the show to discuss A&D activity in the renewable space as well as evaluating and mitigating risk. Eric has a long career in land and much to share with access professionals and developers alike. Eric explains how his current role involves assessing how to repurpose real estate owned by the company. They are focused on renewables and Eric is excited by the challenges of looking into the environmental aspects of a retired coal plant and how it can be utilized for solar energy.  Chad and Eric talk about working relationships with developers, communication with landowners, some specifics on title policies in Texas, and assessing risk going into a project. Eric shares from his own career experiences, times when he was invested in a project and perhaps lost out on it. He focuses on doing things the right way with due diligence and maintaining relationships with all landowners. Eric speculates on the future of renewables for Chad and offers a lot of insight for listeners to apply to their own careers. “So if you're a developer and you're a smaller private equity group looking to sell projects, I think building relationships with those end owner-operators and having your short list of buyers maybe that you either have some kind of agreement in place with or, hey, you're going to get first shot at these projects. And maybe there's some kind of financial compensation there where they kind of help you with some of the costs while you're de-risking these projects before they would take over and take ownership. You know, I see that with some of the smaller developers.” - Eric BarnettAbout Eric Barnett:Eric Barnett is the Director of Development for Vistra Corp. He comes from a background in oil and gas and land acquisition. He moved into renewable energy in 2014. His work specialties include renewable energy project management, oil/gas/wind/solar lease acquisition; right of way, curative; due diligence; site development, and permitting.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinEric Barnett | Director of Development, Vistra Corp.: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes welcomes Mark Bradley, Principal Owner of Marram Consulting Ltd and Team Lead at Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc, to the show to discuss “the quiet coexistence between pipeline operators and the public”. Mark shares from his wealth of experience in building post-construction relationships. Mark’s education is in urban and regional planning, a bit of an untraditional background for someone in the land world. While his classmates dreamed of designing beautiful neighborhoods, Mark decided he wanted to be a right of way planner. He says his background in urban planning was an asset for the work he did in the pipeline industry. Chad and Mark talk about what happens after the pipeline is built: how the handover of stakeholder relationships is handled and maintaining the existing relationships or building new ones in the post-construction time. Mark highlights examples of key things he’s learned throughout his career, communication with new landowners about pipelines on their property, the soft skills necessary for the work he does, and who his mentors were. There is a lot to take away from this episode.“Nowadays, this role has become a lot about mitigation. It's mitigating risks, mitigating liabilities. And in order to do that, a land professional really needs to document things well and be very, very meticulous in the documentation. I think the land professional has to have a much better understanding of the regulatory regime, the things that the regulations provide as tools in order to get us, you know, onto the land and to do the things that we need to do. So it's not a matter of just checking a box and saying, I did this because the checklist says we have to do it.” - Mark BradleyAbout Mark Bradley, CPT:Mark Bradley has over 20 years of expertise in the pipeline industry, on both provincially and federally regulated gas and liquids transmission systems. His energy career began as a member of a Pipeline Maintenance Team, working on pipeline inspection and replacement, facilities construction, mainline projects, and even as a welder's helper. This gave him a solid foundation for later progressions into Crossings, Public Awareness, Emergency Preparedness, and Land.Mark is a proven networker and collaborator, having had the privilege of working with the following organizations: International Right-of-Way Association (IRWA), Edmonton Area Pipeline and Utility Operators Committee, Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) and Canadian Association of Certified Planning Technicians (CACPT)He is a strong believer that dialogue, education, and understanding effectively brings people and pipelines together. Accordingly, he has been directly involved as the Western Canadian representative for the CACPT, a partner author of Canadian Standards Association "Special Publication PLUS 663 - Land use planning for pipelines: A guideline for local authorities, developers and pipeline operators", Vice Chair, CEPA Damage Prevention Working Group, and on the Education Committee for BC Common Ground AllianceMark holds an Honours Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning. He lives in Calgary, AB with his wife, two teenagers, and dog Crosby (yes, after the hockey player).---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinMark Bradley | Team Lead, Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc; Principal Owner, Marram Consulting Ltd: website | linkedin | email  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes welcomes Andrea Carolan, Managing Director of Public Private Property in Adelaide, Australia, to the show for insight into challenges in her sector. Andrea talks about her career in valuation and sheds light on what approaches are different between urban and rural appraisal.Following her father into valuation, Andrea identifies as a second generation valuer. She still uses things she learned through his mentorship and philosophies. She founded her company, Public Private Property, in 2017 and it focuses strictly on valuation. She explains how she works to value a property before acquisition.Chad and Andrea talk about the industries she’s been working on lately in Australia, the differences between valuation for government versus energy companies, how she assesses landowner compensation, and the soft skills required to realize success in the valuation business. Andrea has a lot of experience in working through challenges in the industry. She talks about mentorship and learning by example and her conversation here is a prime example of how willingly she shares her insight.“It's important to show respect. I remember learning that from another valuer where I was probably a little bit out of my depth and went into a conference, and I probably wasn't right, and there was another much more senior valuer. And he was so kind to me and so respectful in the way he communicated. And I just really appreciated it at the time because I'd gone in there pretty gung-ho….he really taught me that day because he could have crushed me, absolutely crushed me, and he didn't.” - Andrea CarolanAbout Andrea Carolan:Andrea Carolan is a Certified Practicing Valuer and Fellow of the Australian Property Institute. She is also a Board Member/Director of the Australian Property Institute (API) and International Director and Past President of the Australian Chapter of the International Right of Way Association (IRWA).Andrea founded Public Private Property in 2017 following 25 years at Maloney Field Services (now JLL Infrastructure Advisory). Her extensive experience serving both the public and private sectors resulted in a nimble and capable specialist valuation practice with an emphasis on carefully selected niche markets.Public Private Property specializes in valuation and compensation for land acquisition associated with both minor and major infrastructure projects throughout Australia. Their experience and services extend to whole of property, partial interest, and easement acquisitions across urban, regional, rural, and pastoral areas.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinAndrea Carolan | Acquisition Valuer / Managing Director at Public Private Property: website | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chad Hughes hosts Thomas Schaffer, Senior Manager for Transmission Right-of-Way at American Electric Power, on the show to discuss the work AEP is doing and how they engage with customers in meaningful ways. They delve into Thomas’ career history and what the future has in store for the industry.  Thomas came into acquisition through working a summer job at the courthouse in Columbus, Ohio. He started learning about title ownership at the courthouse and that led into easement which ultimately landed him acquisition work. He has been at American Electric Power for sixteen years now in a role surrounding electric transmission facilities that stretch over 40,000 miles. Chad and Thomas talk about not only how AEP has changed and grown in the last sixteen years, but how renewable energy has affected the industry at large. Thomas addresses how the initial approach to landowners is considered and the importance of maintaining that relationship component. He expects changes in the future that will affect regulations pertaining to customers, and considers how social media can affect industry messaging overall. “Number one, looking for affordable electricity is important. We hear that a lot. The other part, too, is clean and reliable electricity. So when you unpack a lot of that, the renewable side comes into play. And so from our position, when we talk about renewables and bringing them onto the grid, there is a lot of demand and trying to find ways to build partnerships with those renewable developers I think is probably the most significant in the aspect of them getting on the grid.” - Thomas SchafferAbout Thomas Schaffer:Thomas Schaffer is a senior manager at American Electric Power (AEP), and is responsible for managing the right-of-way group in securing the land rights necessary for the construction, operation and maintenance of AEP’s electric transmissions facilities. AEP has the largest transmission system in the U.S with over 40,000 line miles across 13-states, and currently has a right-of-way staff of over 60 full-time employees and contractors, as well as 13 service providers supporting right-of-way acquisition projects.---Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedinThomas Schaffer | Senior Manager, Transmission Right-of-Way AEP: website | website 2 | linkedin Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.