Episodes

If you want to be a leader, you have to own your career and do it with humility. Today’s guest is self-proclaimed practitioner-scholar, Tedd Wheeler. With a background in the military and a career in AEC, Tedd uses his incredible skills to mentor and coach the next generation. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Tedd’s career, his time in the military, his passion for teaching, and the importance of Individual Development Planning. Tedd goes on to share how he balances his mentees’ expe...

There is a destructive yet persistent American culture that sees people elevated to leadership positions without the required training or coaching. Today’s guest aims to ease this particular pain point by bringing military-style leadership to the civilian world. John Gronski is a former Major General who's pivoted to being a motivational speaker and life coach. He begins our conversation by describing everything that happens at the coaching and consulting company he founded: Leader Grove. ...

What does it take to redefine leadership beyond the battlefield? In this episode of Leadership Blueprints, former CH-53E helicopter pilot, Marine Corps veteran, and MCFA Project Leader Steve Kempa sheds light on his transformative journey from Marine to mentor. Steve shares how his time in the military helped shape his understanding of leadership and how transitioning to the civilian world pushed him to embrace empathy, emotional intelligence, and the power of collaboration. He also ...

What if your personal challenges could inspire a business that changes lives? In this episode, we delve into the power of transformative leadership and impact-driven entrepreneurship. We uncovered the inspiring journey of Brett and Mary Elaine Baker as they built VAUSA, a remarkable virtual assistant company dedicated to empowering military families while supporting faith- and mission-driven businesses. Join us as Brett and Mary Elaine share their journey from military life to entrep...

From military precision to civilian construction, today’s guest offers a powerful blueprint for transformative leadership. Pete Anzovino recently joined MCFA after retiring from the US Army, coming to us through the Department of Defense SkillBridge Program. This program helps former service members and veterans transition into fulfilling careers in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. In this episode, Pete shares how the SkillBridge Program eased his transition ...

Being coached in leadership is one thing, but without actionable steps to turn those lessons into reality, that coaching becomes redundant. Welcome back to our rebranded podcast, Leadership Blueprints! Today we are very excited to introduce Wally Adamchik, former US marine, President of Firestarter Consulting, and leadership coach. He joins us to discuss all things leadership! Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Wally’s career, what inspired him to become a leadership coach, what Firestarter ...

Joining BJ on the debut episode of our newly rebranded podcast, Leadership Blueprints, formerly Inspiring People & Places, is Katie Kilker, Senior Project Director for Federal Facilities in the Engineering, Design, and Infrastructure Group at AtkinsRéalis. In honor of November's Veteran Salute, DOD to AEC, we’re spotlighting Katie’s recent transition from active duty in the Air Force to her current role in the built environment. Tune in to hear Katie discuss her journey to the Air Force, h...

What does it take to turn big ideas into lasting infrastructure? In this episode, we sit down with two MCFA team members, Michael Fuhrman and Brian Pieplow, to dig into their new book, Make No Little Plans: A Planning as a Project Development Approach to Building Infrastructure. Michael, Co-Founder of MCFA, and Brian, Chief Project Development Officer, bring a combined wealth of expertise to MCFA. Michael’s extensive background in environmental permitting, land use planning, and regulatory com...

Entering a new career after your military service can be a tough transition, but there are plenty of transferrable skills that can help you on your journey. Joining us today is Paul Garvey, Executive Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield, to talk about his time in the Navy and the transition into corporate real estate. Tuning in, you’ll learn about key skills and experiences from his military career, and how they have served him in his new business environment. We unpack what it’s like worki...

Many veterans struggle to find their place in a world different from the one in active service. However, many skills learned on the military base are valuable and transferable to civilian life. For sales, your military background may even serve you better than someone with a more traditional career trajectory. Today we are joined by Navy Veteran, Alex Archawski, whose impressive business acumen led to him founding two companies—Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network and Veteran Shark Tank—includ...

Committing to candid quarterly conversations is one of the most powerful organizational levers you can tap into. These discussions are beneficial to everyone, driving growth for both individuals and the organization. As we head into the fourth quarter of the year, BJ Kraemer shares his thoughts on why annual feedback isn’t enough. Why formalizing a process for these quarterly conversations is essential for successful growth. What these conversations should entail, and the impact of avoiding dif...

What makes or breaks a multi-million-dollar capital project? In today’s episode, we sat down with Jim Brill, Managing Director of the Construction and Real Estate Practice at EY to uncover what it takes to be successful in large-scale investment projects. With over 30 years of experience, Jim has advised a variety of stakeholders on capital projects across multiple industries. His leadership in consulting and expertise in project management have made him a key figure in the industry. In our co...

"If not me, then who?” First Lt. Travis Manion, USMC, made this simple yet powerful statement before his final deployment, reflecting the profound sense of duty experienced by service members and their families. Today on the podcast, BJ is joined by Ryan Manion, CEO of the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF), one of the nation’s leading veteran service organizations. Known for her resilience after losing her brother Travis to war and her mother to cancer, Ryan is dedicated to empowering veterans an...

Have you ever tried leading or managing someone but struggled with communication? Effective communication is the backbone of every successful training program. In this solo episode of Inspiring People & Places, BJ dives into how the correct communication techniques can elevate your training methods. He unpacks the concept of training in the context of leadership and how to tailor training based on each employee’s specific needs. Discover how to establish foundational language, communicate comp...

At its core, leadership is about inspiring and influencing behavior to help people to achieve a common goal. But how are great leaders shaped? Join us for a compelling conversation with Brian Stann, a former mixed martial artist and U.S. Marine who competed in the UFC’s middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. In this discussion, we explore where Brian is today, his journey through the military, the lessons he learned at Hire Heroes USA, and his leap into real estate development. Brian als...

Veterans have the potential to be exceptional business leaders if they can prioritize and balance their values, wellness, and financial goals. Joining us today is the founder of Richard Group LLC, Jed Richard to discuss his incredible career and the difference he is making within his company. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about Jed’s upbringing, how his grandfather became his inspiration, his time in the army, and how he transitioned into construction. We explore the exceptional entrepreneurial qu...

Anyone can build an average business, but who wants to be average when you can be excellent? Today on Inspiring People & Places, we are joined by the founder and managing partner of Scare the Bear Capital, Matthew Dean. In this conversation, we hear all about Matt’s background, what led him to his current leadership role, and where he is in his career today. We delve into the leadership lessons he learned growing his firm, his ‘Markon 100’ principle, and how his leadership style changed as the...

In any partnership, trust is a key player; both the trust you find in your partner and the trust you knowingly have in yourself. Joining BJ on this episode of Inspiring People & Places is John Grady, who serves as the Northeast Region Executive and Senior Vice President of Development at Wexford Science & Technology in Philadelphia. As a seasoned executive with a wealth of experience in real estate, finance, city building, and corporate and public affairs, John has a remarkable track record of ...

We are inspired by the leadership, passion, and mission-focus that veterans bring to the built environment. However, figuring out what your next steps are after serving can be challenging. During this episode, we welcome Arpan Patel, Director of Operations at the US Air Force Reserve. He shares his story, from growing up with immigrant parents, to serving and leveraging his background in civil engineering to build a career on the other side. You’ll also hear about the process of excavating his...

Being able to inspire change is key to being a good leader. But more importantly, a leader needs to have the humility to reflect on when their capacity for driving that change has expired. Joining us today is the former CEO of the Society of Women Engineers and former AVP of admin and operations at DePaul University, Betty Shanahan to discuss her remarkable career arc. In this conversation, you’ll hear all about what inspired Betty to get into engineering, her education, career highlights, her...

The built environment offers vast potential to impact those who live, work, and thrive in these spaces. Today’s guest on Inspiring People & Places is Joe Reagan, the Executive Vice President of Development at Wexford Science and Technology. Join us as we explore the diverse aspects of his career journey, including how his understanding of deal-making and real estate within the built environment has deepened his appreciation for the financial implications of a mission. Joe also shares key leader...

“When we value women, then we begin to value everyone.” These are the wise words of today’s guest; women’s advocate, international speaker, and author, Jill Tietjen. In this conversation, you’ll hear about Jill’s early life and interest in math, her passion for encouraging women to pursue STEM careers, her incredible career, and so much more! We delve into the electrical engineering challenges Jill has encountered before discussing her opinions about how grids can be modernized and what the dem...

We're going to do things a little differently and speak to the younger generation: Avery Kraemer, Trey Kraemer, and Daniel Wits - BJ's daughter, son, and nephew. Avery, Trey, and Daniel all describe what their parents do for work before giving us their own definitions of leadership and what it means to be a good leader. We discover what they like and dislike in the people they look up to and why leaders need to be both strict and easygoing. Be sure to listen closely for a hidden BJ Masterclass...

Great leaders are constantly making balanced decisions based on risks and rewards. Today on Inspiring People & Places, we discuss how leadership affects project outcomes. In this solo episode, you’ll hear all about how the late Irv Richter and Hill International inspired BJ to think about what leaders do to drive successful project outcomes. We discuss the art of project management before breaking down the Army’s Composite Risk Management process and its principles. Finally, BJ explains why he ...