Transportation CEOs Discuss Pandemic Effects, Workforce Issues, and Cyber Security Challenges

What happened: CEOs of three top transportation construction and design companies Sept. 11 shared industry insights in an opening day panel at ARTBA’s national convention in La Jolla, Calif.

Moderated by RS&H Chief Operating Officer Lisa Robert, panelists were Teichert President & CEO Mary Teichert, Kiewit Infrastructure Group Inc. President David Miles, and Terracon President & CEO Gayle Packer (pictured above, left to right).

Among the highlights:

• Pandemic effects. It forced companies to utilize technology that eased the burden of employee separation, said Teichert. ‘There’s a better willingness of everyone to use them,’ she said. ‘That goes from the collaboration tools like Teams and Zoom to platforms that are just easier to develop.’ Teichert developed an in-house safety management system that brings safety protocols quickly to field employees. Kiewit’s Miles was pleased with the continued evolution of progressive design build, ‘which helps industry and clients in managing risk.’
• Workforce issues. Contractors must employ new techniques to recruit, retain employees, and help them through tough times. Miles described an ‘Under the Hat” app Kiewit developed as a resource for addressing workplace mental health issues. ‘The pandemic required us to become leaders and very intentional about how we’re creating culture, everything from remote work to hybrid work,” said Packer. “But if you stay with that kind of structure how do you help employees when you’re not going to pass them in the hallway?’
• Remaining challenges. ‘With the infrastructure act, the CHIPS Act and the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act), there was a lot of money coming at us,’ said Packer. ‘We are like the snakes swallowing the elephants in trying to get that out and used and let the public know what it can do.’ Teichert warned of a new onslaught of cyber security threats, including an increasing number of ransomware attacks on companies.

Photo by Janis Foley Photography.