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.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From SCA to Leadership | S7E29
6d ago00:50:17Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Sargent: On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by Workforce Advancement Manager Pete Parizo in the Flywheel Studio, along with three guests joining remotely: Senior Foreman Alex Morgan, Junior Superintendent Jacson Blais, and Dozer Operator Chandler Plante. The conversation centers on the paths these three employee-owners took from the Sargent Construction Academy (SCA) into leadership roles. Each former student shares what drew them to Sargent, often through family connections to the company, and describes their experiences going through the Academy between 2016 and 2019. They talk about their first days on the job, the mentors who helped them grow, and the moment each of them stepped into more responsibility on their crews. The conversation shifts into leadership, with Pete Perrizo noting that leadership isn't tied to title; it's something everyone practices every day, for better or worse.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 at 100: George Thomas 40 Years at Sargent | S7E28
3w ago00:24:52Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the Sargent On Track Podcast’s Sargent 100 interview series, Sebastian sits down with George Thomas, whose 40 years of service began in 1972 as a field office clerk and evolved into a career spanning accounting, finance, and leadership. George reflects on the company’s interstate highway years, the first steps into out-of-state work, and the values and work ethic that made Sargent stand out. He also shares his candid perspective on the sale of H.E. Sargent to overseas companies, his “famous phone call” that brought him back to Maine with Sargent & Sargent, and what it took behind the scenes to earn confidence during a pivotal chapter in the company’s story.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 →Good vs. Great: Inside EMCC's Diesel, Truck & Heavy Equipment Program | S7E27
Jul 900:26:18Tap to summarizeIn this episode of the On Track Podcast, President & CEO Eric Ritchie is joined by Assistant Equipment Manager Brandon Mace and Instructors Mike Boyd and Lowell Gardner of Eastern Maine Community College in the Flywheel Studio for a conversation about the heavy equipment program that's been feeding skilled technicians into the industry for decades. The group digs into what makes the two-year program tick, from its AED accreditation and hands-on shop time to the industry advisory board that helps shape the curriculum based on what employers actually need. Mike and Lowell share what separates a good mechanic from a great one, while Brandon talks about the long-standing partnership between Sargent and EMCC, including the recent donation of a 2020 Cat 320 excavator and the interns who've graduated into full-time roles.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 – Strategic Planning & Misc. | S7E26
Jun 2500:48:38Tap 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
Jun 1800:32:40Tap 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
Jun 1101:02:44Tap 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
Jun 400:53:11Tap 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 →