On May 25, GBCA’s Construction Leadership Council hosted a virtual Coffee Chat with Philip (Phil) Radomski, President of Frank V. Radomski & Sons, Inc. This informal meeting provided GBCA’s young construction professionals an opportunity to hear from an experienced construction executive, and to ask frank questions about working in Philadelphia’s commercial construction industry.
Phil discussed his journey both out and in of his family’s construction business. He also spoke about the role of the Master Builder and the value for emerging construction professionals of understanding all parts of the building process. Some key takeaways:
- Work ethic matters. A lot of people think that a family business is a birthright. That’s not true. It’s a job. You’re only as good as your last job.
- You have to be fair to your subcontractors. If they don’t make money, you can’t make money. If they do a good job and you treat them well, they’ll want to work with you on the next job.
- One of the main challenges in building a relationship between GCs/CMs and subcontractors is safety. Some owners are very tough and require near zero incident records. We also need to listen to workers in the field to help make sure that they’re safe.
- Find what motivates you. For Phil, it’s his family. He always came home for dinner. He could be on email or working on drawings after dinner.
- A lot of people aren’t born into the construction business or they don’t have the same opportunities. Give them a chance. They want to learn. Sponsor an apprentice, especially a CARP or CAPP candidate.
Learn to build. Go out into the field and watch the craftsman work. Get involved with it. … The more you know, the more you can help [workers] if they have issues in the field.
Philip Radomski, President, Frank V. Radomski & Sons, Inc.
Read a more detailed recap of the Coffee Chat, courtesy of MRG – Madison Risk Group:
Thanks to Phil for sharing his thoughts and advice with us, and thanks to all who attended!
