Today our guest is Shannon Drezek, an elevator constructor and NEAP instructor from Oxford, Wisconsin. We discussed her 19-year career in the vertical transportation industry. She highlighted the rarity of women in the trade, noting only about 300 out of 33,000 elevator constructors in the U.S. and Canada are female. Shannon emphasized the importance of…

In this episode, I interviewed Tom Esch, a renowned expert in workplace dynamics and conflict resolution. Tom brings over two decades of experience in helping leaders understand the nuanced ‘people stuff’ that can make or break a business. We dove into how leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and conscious communication can transform workplace culture, prevent costly…

In this episode, I interviewed Tom Esch, a renowned expert in workplace dynamics and conflict resolution. Tom brings over two decades of experience in helping leaders understand the nuanced ‘people stuff’ that can make or break a business. We dove into how leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and conscious communication can transform workplace culture, prevent costly…

In this episode, I interviewed Will Fleischer, a 25 year veteran of the elevator industry. Will first got into elevators by answering a newspaper ad and has never looked back. He has worked in and around Texas throughout his career, in a variety of roles and companies and currently owns and runs his elevator inspection…

In this episode, I interviewed Jared Stearns, Sales Manager for Encoder Products, a supplier to multiple industries, including elevators. Jared started his technical training as a helper to his father, repairing tractors and other farm equipment in Eastern Connecticut. After some time in the military and a close brush with school teaching, Jared became a…

In this episode, I interviewed Kevin Cunningham, an elevator professional and entrepreneur who, along with his partner Tim Toan, turned a critical safety challenge into a mission to safeguard lives. Their product, HydraSafe Brake, is a device designed to prevent unintended ascending movement in elevators, mandated by the A17.3-2020 elevator code. It uses disc brakes…

In this episode, I interviewed Kevin Cunningham, an industry veteran with over 40 years of experience in elevator construction, modernization, and consulting. Kevin’s journey started with sheer determination: calling every day until he got his first job in the elevator trade. In this interview, Kevin shared how his hands-on experience in the field shaped his…

In this episode, I interviewed David Smarte, Global Education and Safety Officer with the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC). David started his career in 1978 as a union apprentice in Ocean City, MD and spent over 20 years in the field. David started specializing in safety over 20 years ago and joined the NAEC…

In this episode, I interviewed Ray Downs, a 35-year veteran of the elevator industry. Ray started with Otis in 1989 as Regional Manager of EH&S and retired from TEI as Senior Vice President of EH&S. Ray and many other safety professionals from the NEII and NAEC safety committees have just completed revising the Elevator Industries…

In this episode, I interviewed Chuck Tyler, Director of Operations and Business Development with Phoenix Modular Elevator. The company has been in business for 15 years and primarily serves North America. We discussed the benefits of Phoenix Modular’s ability to pre-manufacture and ship their product and their specialization in 2-4 stop hydraulic elevators. We also…