Construction DEI Talks

A podcast to provide DEI knowledge and insights paired with actionable steps for construction industry leaders, employees, and stakeholders so they ca…
Oct 25th, 2021 | 31:50

S1 Ep1 - Leadership & Accountability with Granite CEO Kyle Larkin and Rosendin CEO Mike Greenawalt

Welcome to Construction DEI Talks, where we explore the important topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion as it relates to the construction industry. In this episode, Jorge Quezada, Vice President of Inclusive Diversity at Granite Construction, and his co-hosts Stephanie Roldan and Aby Combs, are joined by Kyle Larkin, President and CEO of Granite Construction, and Mike Greenawalt, CEO of Rosendin, to discuss their personal experiences with prejudice and exclusion in the industry and how they are working to make it a more welcoming place for everyone. Mike shares his experience of being subject to prejudice as a young apprentice in Phoenix and how it motivated him to create a more inclusive and diverse industry. Kyle also shares his own experience of feeling like he didn't belong, and how this inspired him to bring inclusive diversity to Granite Construction. Both Kyle and Mike agree that diversity is much broader than just gender and ethnicity and that the construction industry provides jobs to people from all walks of life. However, they emphasize that equity and inclusion are essential to making the industry a truly welcoming place. In this episode, we hear from two industry leaders who are committed to making the construction industry a more diverse and inclusive place. Kyle Larkin and Mike Greenawalt share their experiences and insights on how leaders can move principles of equity and inclusion forward. Join us next time on Construction DEI Talks as we continue to explore this important topic.

Podcast: Construction DEI Talks

Episode: Leadership & Accountability

Welcome to Construction DEI Talks, a podcast discussing diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to the construction industry. Your host is Jorge Quezada, Vice President of Inclusive Diversity at Granite Construction. Stephanie Roldan, Director or Lean Culture at Rosendin and Aby Combs, Inclusive Diversity Practitioner at Granite Construction are your co-hosts. Each episode will bring new conversations with subject matter experts about how we can make the industry a more diverse and inclusive place.

Our guests for today’s episode are Kyle Larkin and Mike Greenwalt. Kyle, President and CEO of Granite, is responsible for development and implementation of company-wide strategies to ensure Granite’s growth, effectiveness and sustainability. Mike Greenwalt, CEO of Rosendin, has over 40 years of construction industry experience. He joined Rosendin in 2002 as a Division Manager in the Arizona office, where he grew the team and became Vice President of Operations. In his first year as CEO, Mike oversaw the launch of the non-profit Rosendin Foundation.

To begin, Mike recalls his initial excitement at being accepted into a selective apprenticeship program in Phoenix at 20 years old. However, the excitement quickly faded as he became the subject of prejudice from his colleagues. It was a helpless feeling, he says, and many people don’t realize what that kind of treatment can do to a person. As he ascended through his career, Mike realized the opportunity he had to make the industry a more inclusive and inviting place for everyone. Then, Kyle shares his own experience of feeling like he did not belong. His desire to bring inclusive diversity to the construction industry arose from a compilation of instances which happened over the course of his early career. Recognizing his individual value and the insight he had to offer his own company led him to seeing those traits in other people too.

Diversity is much broader than just gender and ethnicity. Construction is one of the most diverse industries, providing jobs to people of all walks of life. While job sites have always been consistently diverse, equity and inclusion is what has really been missing. In closing, Mike and Kyle share their perspectives on what leaders should be doing to move these principles forward.

Links:

Connect with Aby Combs.

Connect with Stephanie Roldan.

Connect with Jorge Quezada.

Connect with Kyle Larkin.

Connect with Mike Greenwalt.

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