What does it take to scale a $3 billion construction company without losing its soul? In this episode, FMI Consulting President Scott Winstead sits down with Rob Fallow, President and CEO of Fortis Construction, Inc., to uncover how Fortis balances entrepreneurial agility with disciplined strategy—and why culture is their ultimate competitive edge. Rob shares insights on guarding against cultural and operational drift, empowering teams through decentralization, and building enduring organizations through purpose-driven leadership and thoughtful succession. Whether you’re a contractor, builder or business leader, this conversation delivers powerful lessons on growth, stewardship and staying true to your values as you scale. Listen in for a masterclass on leadership, culture and purpose in the built environment.
In our next episode, Scott Winstead interviews Brian Skipper, corporate director of project development at Hensel Phelps, about navigating the changing construction landscape and crafting a disciplined approach to growth. They discuss the strategy behind how Hensel Phelps determines:Where to operateWhat projects to pursueHow to say no to projects that don't fit the strategic prioritiesDon't miss this conversation that is sure to give you insights into how to create a winning strategy that you can implement into your business right now.
Operational excellence doesn’t happen by accident. Yet in today’s construction environment, many firms continue to leave it up to chance. That’s one of the central takeaways from our forthcoming industry study on project management and a key message from this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast.Led by FMI’s Gregg Schoppman and Nelson Newman, this three-part survey reveals where project management is breaking down, what separates top-performing firms, and how executives can position their teams for predictability, profitability and long-term success.Listen now for a preview of our findings and discover perspectives from both executives and project managers.
In our latest podcast, host Scott Winstead talks with Bob Uhler, former CEO and chairman of MWH Global, and Garry Sanderson, former MWH executive and author of "The Change Engineer," about what it takes to lead lasting change at scale. Bob transformed MWH from a $100 million firm to a $1.6 billion global leader in water infrastructure. Garry's behavioral science lens helps decode why strategy often fails during execution. The conversation covers:The four levels of leadershipHow to fight corporate inertiaCreating the right conditions for behavior to scaleDon't miss this episode, which is packed tips you can apply immediately to improve your business.
Succession planning isn’t just about ownership or leadership — it’s about aligning both.In this episode, Jake Appelman and Matt Godwin of FMI sit down with host Scott Winstead to explore:The evolving landscape of exit strategies.What great looks like — and where firms often get stuck.How to build leadership readiness in advance.Strategies for mitigating financial risk and safeguarding the business.Whether you’re years away from transition or actively navigating succession, this conversation offers insights you don’t want to miss.
"Leaders were really the biggest constraint we had to reach our potential," Scott Peterson, CEO of Interstates tells FMI's Scott Winstead in this episode of the FMI Built-In Podcast.Through its emphasis on people development and adaptability, the company has grown from $12 million in revenue in 1995 to $500 million in 2024. By focusing on building strong leaders and shifting to a more collaborative team environment, Interstates continues to evolve to meet client and industry needs. Don't miss his incredible insights on leadership and structuring a company so it can scale and still provide excellent client service.
After retiring from the Air Force, Chris Stricklin found his calling as founding president of Dunn University, a division of the Dunn Family of Businesses.Dunn University exists to recruit, train, develop and retain the best skilled workforce possible, while improving [their] communities and industries in pursuit of achieving both [their] corporate and individual true potential.As a result of his workforce efforts, Chris was appointed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to the Alabama Workforce Board and testified before Congress in 2024 on initiatives to pioneer revolutionary methods of training Alabamians in new careers with livable wages and career progression pathways.In this episode of the FMI Built-In Podcast, Chris sits down with host Scott Winstead to talk about these initiatives as well as:Building an innovative and agile businessDeveloping and retaining talentLessons learned throughout his careerDon’t miss this insightful and inspiring episode.
In this episode of the FMI Built-In Podcast, Scott Winstead sits down with Ed Kutschke, executive vice president at Aldridge Electric, to explore how the company has stayed ahead of the competition in their more than 70 years in the infrastructure space. Specializing in electrical infrastructure and large-scale transportation and power projects, Aldridge built a reputation for field-first innovation and operational excellence.Listen now to learn how Aldridge continues to lead in a competitive market.
The built environment is entering a transformative era.Connecting the dots between evolving trends, market forecasts and what they mean for your business is crucial in today's landscape.In this episode of FMI's Built-In Podcast, Partner and leader of FMI's Research and Analytics Practice Jay Bowman joins host Scott Winstead to share his perspective on the Overview.They talk about sector-specific insights, key themes in the industry and how leaders are prioritizing strategic focus, technological adoption and resilience.
We're excited to kick off season three of the FMI Built-In Podcast with FMI Capital Advisors Managing Director Alex Miller. He joins FMI Consulting President Scott Winstead to talk about themes driving mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the engineering and construction market in 2025. We'll look at what areas might be hot, considerations for companies thinking about M&A and other trends to help inform your thinking.
We had such an incredible year, that we decided to share some of the key insights from our 2024 guests. Leadership isn't just about solving today's problems. It's about building an organization that can thrive long into the future and through any type of transition. Discover some of the best advice and practices from top leaders in the built environment. Enjoy this year-end wrap-up as you start planning for 2025.
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, host Scott Winstead is joined by Les Hiscoe, CEO of Shawmut Design and Construction. Shawmut is 100% ESOP-owned and has made Fortune’s best workplace list 16 times during Les’ tenure as CEO.Les talks about Shawmut’s shift to a more sustainable business model, touching on navigating change, strategic leadership, company culture and talent retention.
Tom Gilbane, Jr., joins host Scott Winstead to discuss the origin and evolution of Construction Inclusion Week.Construction Inclusion Week unites the built environment to create a more welcoming and inclusive industry. Tom talks about how companies can get involved to solve problems, attract and retain talent, and innovate with more people.Don’t miss this special episode of the FMI Built-In podcast.
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, Chairman and CEO of Hensel Phelps Construction, Mike Choutka, joins host Scott Winstead to talk about creating a strategic business model to achieve long-term success.Mike reflects on the strong foundation they've built to fuel Hensel Phelps' 87 years of success and the key ingredients to reach the milestone of 100 years in business, including:Developing the next generation of future leadersImplementing broad-based employee ownershipFostering an enterprise-first mindsetEmbracing the future of technology
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, host Scott Winstead, President of FMI Consulting, sits down with Les Snyder, Executive Vice President of Development and Infrastructure Construction for Brightline West.With more than 40 years of experience across all sectors of the construction industry, Les' background uniquely positions him as an exceptional leader. During this conversation, he dives into how to create consistent, sustainable and profitable growth for the business, touching on:Strategy and VisionFuture Leaning Systems and ProcessesHuman Capital and LeadershipMarkets and SectorsCompany CultureDon't miss these valuable insights—tune in now!
With many expected to double the amount of work being done via prefabrication methods, you can't afford to just wing it. It's critical to have a long-term strategy and operationally efficient processes to get the most out of these efforts.In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, we sit down with Tyler Paré, head of our performance consulting practice. Tyler unpacks Part 2 of FMI's Labor Productivity Study and shares insights on prefabrication and the opportunities and challenges that come with it.
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, host Scott Winstead, President of FMI Consulting, sits down with Bob Murray, former President of BOND Brothers, Inc.Bob delves into the challenges and triumphs of leading a growing construction firm, touching on topics like talent development, maintaining core values and navigating strategic shifts. His commentary on leadership and building a team are particularly relevant in today's environment. Listen to the full conversation now.
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, host Scott Winstead, President of FMI Consulting, sits down with Bob Murray, former President of BOND Brothers, Inc. Bob delves into the challenges and triumphs of leading a growing construction firm, touching on topics like talent development, maintaining core values, and navigating strategic shifts.Tune in for the full episode on June 11. Don't forget to like or subscribe on your preferred streaming platform to be informed of new releases!
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, Bob Uhler joins FMI Consulting President Scott Winstead for an insightful conversation on leadership in the C-suite. We talk about the evolving role of a CEO, the difference between a visionary CEO and a maintenance CEO, and how to be agile in evolving markets and sectors.Bob is an accomplished leadership consultant and the former CEO and chairman of MWH Global, one of the largest water and wastewater treatment contractors in the U.S. Tune in to glean insights on how to be an agile leader and adapt to the evolving built environment and read Bob's article on the four levels of organizational success.
In this episode of the FMI Built-In podcast, Bob Uhler joins FMI Consulting President Scott Winstead for an insightful conversation on leadership.Bob is regarded as a visionary strategist and accomplished leader. His experience includes:Starting his own strategy and marketing advisory firm, The Uhler Group, LLC.Leading the transformation of the MWH Global, Inc. business platform from 1 country to 36 and from $100 million to $1.6 billion in revenue during his tenure as CEO and chairman.Two decades of director experience across multiple boards.An impressive collection of published articles, registrations, certifications and awards.U.S. Military service with the decorated distinction of two Bronze Medals and four Combat Air Medals for valor in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division.Tune in next week to glean insights on how to be an agile leader and adapt to the evolving built environment.