In Episode 9 of The Human Side of Construction, Angelo sits down with Ed DeAngelis, founder and CEO of EDA Contractors, a 400-person specialty contractor in the greater Philadelphia area. Ed shares his journey from paper boy to construction CEO, the morning he hit a physical and emotional wall that changed his leadership philosophy forever, and how he built a people-first culture in an industry that wasn’t ready for it. The conversation covers EDA’s PACT substance recovery program, mental health statistics in construction, the ROI of investing in people, and Ed’s practical advice for leaders who want to start this journey but don’t know where to begin.

Key Topics Covered

• Ed’s origin story: paper boy, early work ethic, and the power of saying yes

• Starting EDA Contractors in 1999 and the fear of failure

• The breaking point: burnout, hitting a wall, and rethinking leadership

• Building a people-first culture in a technical industry

• The ROI of investing in people—and why you should treat it like buying equipment

• Mental health statistics in construction: suicide, substance misuse, and the stigma

• EDA’s PACT program: Personal Accountability Changes Today

• Addressing skeptics: why this is the hard work, not the soft work

• Vulnerability in leadership and why it’s a strength

• Trust as a core value: you don’t give trust, you build trust

• EDA Cares: charity work and giving back to the community

• Advice for leaders starting this journey

Guest Bio

Ed DeAngelis is the founder and CEO of EDA Contractors, a 400-person specialty contractor based in the greater Philadelphia area. Founded in 1999, EDA has grown under Ed’s people-first philosophy of “humanity as a strategy,” investing in neuroscience-based leadership development, emotional intelligence training, breathwork practices, and the PACT substance recovery program. Ed is a sought-after speaker and advocate for mental health in the construction industry.

Links

• EDA Contractors: edacontractors.com

• Ed DeAngelis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwarddeangelis/

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