Podcast
Sargent: On Track Podcast
Hosted by Sargent · EN
Keeping Sargent employee-owners informed about what's going on within the company, industry, and ESOP world.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Answering Your Questions – Strategic Planning & Misc. | S7E26
2d ago00:48:38Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Sargent: On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by VP of Finance & CFO Tasha Gardner in the Flywheel Studio to wrap up the series, answering questions submitted by employee-owners at the all-employee meetings. In a “lightning-round” format, Eric and Tasha cover the company's strategic planning efforts, including the completion of the first phase of a five-year roadmap focused on building the bench, growing people and capabilities across both regions, and keeping safety woven into everything the company does. The two dig into how New England and the Mid-Atlantic are stronger together, with each region's diversity of skills and geography serving as one of the company's greatest assets. With special guest Board Chair Herb Sargent, the conversation also dives into employee-owner questions about business transparency and the legal reasons certain acquisition details can't be shared. Herb also weighs in on the age-old staffing challenge, shares a piece of company history, and reminds everyone that this company was never built on perfection — just doing what you can, with what you've got, every day.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →Answering Your Questions – Equipment | S7E25
1w ago00:32:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by Equipment Manager Tim Richards, Assistant Equipment Manager Brandon Mace, and Mid-Atlantic Assistant Equipment Manager Jeff Marsh in the Flywheel Studio to answer equipment questions submitted by employee-owners at the spring all-employee meetings. The guys cover a lot of ground: how the fleet has grown over the last decade, the rent-versus-own philosophy, why the team is rethinking the hour mark on machine changeovers, and why letting a diesel sit and idle costs you more than just fuel. If you work around equipment or you're just curious about how these decisions get made, it's a good one to have in your ears.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →Answering Your Questions – Project Wins/Upcoming Work/Safety | S7E24
2w ago01:02:44Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Sargent: On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by Vice President of Operations & COO – North Douglas Morrison, Vice President of Operations & COO – South Justin Porter, and Safety Director Cam Haggar in the Flywheel Studio to cover project wins, upcoming work, and safety — topics drawn directly from questions submitted at the all-employee meetings. Doug and Justin walk through active and upcoming jobs across New England and the Mid-Atlantic and highlight project wins. The conversation then shifts to safety, with the group discussing accountability at every level, proper incident reporting, first aid requirements in the pits, real-world "Take 5" examples from job sites in both regions, and the importance of mental health and clear-headedness on site.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →Answering Your Questions – Career Advancement/Benefits/COLA | S7E23
3w ago00:53:11Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, we continue our series answering questions submitted during the all-employee meetings with Pete Perizo, Workforce Advancement Manager; Vice President of Human Resources, Amanda Martin; Chief Operating Officer - North and Vice President of New England Operations Doug Morrison; and Chief Operating Officer - South and Vice President of Mid-Atlantic Operations Justin Porter. The group covers a wide range of topics, including how to better yourself in your daily role, what career advancement really looks like at Sargent, how the Construction Academy works and who it's for, cross-training opportunities in the field, and what it takes to earn trust and move up in the company. The conversation also shifts to benefits and compensation, touching on how Sargent uses the Employment Cost Index rather than a standard COLA adjustment, what's being evaluated in this year's benefits review, how the high-deductible health plan and HSA work together, the boot reimbursement program, and how profit sharing is calculated and paid out.Workforce Advancement contact information:Pete’s Work Phone – (207) 817-7558Email – wfa@sargent.usIf you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →Answering Your Questions – ESOP | S7E22
May 2800:42:30Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Sargent: On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by Vice President of Finance and CFO Tasha Gardner in the Flywheel Studio to kick off a new series answering questions submitted during the all-employee meetings. Tasha breaks down vesting and what it means to be a true employee-owner, walks through how shares get allocated between hourly and salaried employees, and explains how internship years factor into vesting. The conversation also digs into retirement planning, tax implications of the ESOP and 401k, and the difference between Roth and traditional contributions at different stages of a career. Eric and Tasha close with a reminder that knowing the ESOP inside and out is part of being an employee owner, and that it takes all 600-plus employee-owners to keep the culture going.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →We're All Leaders: SLA Graduation & DON’T MISS PRICE-IS-RIGHT | S7E21
May 2100:50:25Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, VP of HR Amanda Martin is joined by Superintendent Keith Edgecomb, Controller Casey Flynn, Project Manager Ryan Cullen, Project Executive Kody Vining, HR Manager Claire Ryder, Foreman Alex Castedio, Foreman Kyle Salley, Project Executive Seth Watts, WellBuilt facilitator Matt Verderamo, and Laura Pfeiffenberger and Chris Whitney from Spinnaker Trust in the Flywheel Studio on graduation day of the Sargent Leadership Academy. The group walks through what the program actually looks like, from DISC profiles and emotional intelligence to planning for hard conversations, learning the inside workings of finance, HR, estimating, and workforce advancement, and getting an outside look at corporate governance and the ESOP. Participants share how the academy shifted the way they think about leadership, why role-playing turned out to be more useful than they expected, and how a class of employee-owners from different departments and regions grew tight-knit along the way.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →ESOP Distributions: Knowing Your Options & TRUE UP BONUS PRICE-IS-RIGHT! | S7E20
May 1400:52:14Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by CFO Tasha Gardner and VP of Human Resources Amanda Martin in the Flywheel Studio to break down ESOP distributions during Sargent ESOP Month. The team walks through the four main distribution groups, in-service employees, terminated participants, retirees, and beneficiaries in cases of death or disability, and explains the rules tied to each one, including statutory diversification at age 55 with 10 years in the plan, lump sum options at age 61, and the differences for employees hired before and after January 1, 2023. They also cover the upcoming election window running from May 26th through June 26th, the importance of keeping beneficiaries up to date, what happens when retirees come back to work, and why calling a tax professional and the team here at Sargent matters before making any decisions. Eric, Tasha, and Amanda also share a good reminder from Herb that everyone should retire with a surplus of dignity, and that the share price keeps climbing because of the hard work every employee owner puts in day in and day out. Give it a listen and save it for later, this one is worth keeping on the shelf.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →Sargent and Brinkmann Constructors Talk Employee Ownership & PRICE-IS-RIGHT CONTINUES | S7E19
May 700:35:50Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by Mid-Atlantic Business Development Manager Mike Mullins and Brinkman Constructors Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations and Regional Offices Ted Hoog in the Flywheel Studio for a conversation about employee-ownership, company culture, and what it takes to carry a strong construction company forward. Ted shares Brinkman’s ESOP journey, how founder Bob Brinkman used employee-ownership as a way to protect the company’s legacy, and how the company has grown while working to keep its core values intact across multiple regions.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →New England Meeting Voices & PRICE-IS-RIGHT | S7E18
Apr 3000:35:00Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, we catch up with employee-owners at Sargent’s Northern Maine and Southern Maine all-employee meetings to hear what keeps them moving, what they’re taking into the busy season, and what it means to be part of Sargent during its 100th year. From newer team members finding their place, to long-time employee-owners reflecting on safety, career growth, and the value of getting everyone together, the conversations give a good look at the people behind the work. The episode also kicks off Sargent ESOP Month with CFO & VP Finance Tasha Gardner and CEO & President Eric Ritchie joining in for the Price-Is-Right and a quick lesson on how the ESOP works, with a reminder that employee ownership is built through the work everyone does each day.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
Transcribe →Why Should You Use HealthJoy? | S7E17
Apr 2300:31:14Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, Vice President-Human Resources Amanda Martin is joined by HealthJoy representatives Lindsay Nelson and Stephanie Young, Cross Insurance representative Gabe Marchese, and HR Generalist Jennifer Snow in the Flywheel Studio to talk about how the HealthJoy app can help Sargent employee-owners and their families better understand and use their healthcare benefits. The conversation covers how the app can help users find in-network care, make appointments, review medical bills, set health goals, and get support when healthcare questions come up, whether they are at home, on the road, or helping a family member from a distance. It is a practical episode with straightforward examples, and it is worth a listen for anyone who wants to make healthcare and benefits a little easier to manage.Get started with HealthJoy so it is ready when you need it. If you have a work email, watch for a Launch Day email to activate your account. If not, you can still sign up by downloading the app, entering the email tied to your benefits, and verifying your identity with a few extra details if needed. From there, add your preferred email and phone number, create a password, and you are set. To activate your account, visit www.healthjoy.com/download or search for HealthJoy in the App Store or Google Play Store.If you liked this week’s episode and are interested in becoming an Employee-Owner at Sargent, please visit our careers page on the Sargent website.https://sargent.us/apply/If you have an episode suggestion, please send your idea to:sbennage@sargent.us
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