Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 <inaudible>
Speaker 1 00:00:11 Good morning, everyone. Well, before I yell, roll tide and we bring in Randall Hackworth, this is development lead with way trim. I think James and I need to give a little spotlight to these awesome mugs. I don't know if it's just me or not, but I think the coffee tastes a little bit better. James, my partner crime. What do you think?
Speaker 2 00:00:37 I won't lie. It's a little weird drinking coffee out of it with your face on it, but, uh, it is awesome. Uh, I guess it's a good time as anyone to let everybody know that we'll also be sending out coffee mugs to all of our past guests and also our current guests. So, um, if you join us on conference with Jim and James, it's that super classic flipping your morning kickstart out of so more Randall manta sitting over there barely even on the show is playing second fiddle to our coffee, coffee mug, excitement, Randall. Um, how's it feel to be overshadowed by drink? Good here. Let's cheers. Cheers. How are you? I'm good. Good. Just hanging out, enjoying the quarantine. Yeah. You know, we went from seeing each other when it seemed like every month at shows and conferences to now it's been quite a stretch of absence. So I'm hoping when y'all get to get together soon and get back into the swing of things. Absolutely. Well, it's, uh, these videos add weight to you. I don't think I've gained that much weight, but the COVID-19 over here
Speaker 1 00:01:53 Only 15.
Speaker 1 00:01:57 Well, Randall joins us today. He, you know, I could say he's a long-term industry friend. He's a, uh, not just industry friend. He's a great friend to us. Uh, Randall and I first met in 2009 in new Orleans. We've known each other for many years. Who's actually, I hired him as vice president of business development a few years prior to energy world net. So we actually worked together professionally, um, works. Uh, he is with, uh, the organization, Wade trim, and we're really excited to have them on here today. So Randall, I'm going to hand it over to you. You can fill in any of the missing pieces that I didn't hit on and, uh, take it away, my friend.
Speaker 2 00:02:36 Sure. Thank you. And appreciate you guys allowing me to, uh, grace, your screens with you just, uh, say really quickly, wait, trim is a, a civil engineering firm, so national firm and about 25 locations throughout the country and give it a good average at that. And, uh, but we do have a pipeline, uh, energy pipeline and that's who I focus
Speaker 3 00:03:00 My energies with. And, uh, so excited to be here, excited to talk about the subject matter. We, uh, we've been discussing and kind of bring it into the pipeline sector and go from there. But thanks again for having me
Speaker 2 00:03:14 Awesome. Uh, Randall, tell us a little bit about, uh, what you're excited about this morning. We talked a little bit, um, you know, before about infrastructure stimulus, you want to just dive in man, fill our killer listeners in on.
Speaker 3 00:03:28 Yeah, absolutely. Well, I'm most excited that, uh, they're starting opening the economy back up. So I think that's fantastic. I think we can all be careful and do the things that we need to do to stay safe and uh, and get the economy going again and it needs to happen. So I'm, I'm, I'm pro that. Absolutely. But what I wanted to talk a little bit about was the infrastructure stimulus that they've been have discussions on. Uh, and when I say they that's Congress and president Trump, um, and I know they'll model a little, a little bit after what was put out in 2009, which was called the American recovery and reinvestment act. And, uh, it's all about being shovel-ready and it's gonna focus on, uh, it's going focus on, you know, roads and bridges infrastructure like that. Um, a lot of it went to railroads, uh, or railroad projects back in, you know, 10 years ago, but, um, we'll see what happens and you're probably going, you know, you're probably going well, how does it affect us? Well, for my firm, we do a lot of civil work of course. And, uh, so that's right in our wheelhouse, but from the pipeline perspective, I see some, um, a by-product of that, which is, um, we'll call it just the relocation aspect. And we can talk about that in a minute.
Speaker 2 00:04:48 Hey Randall. So, so let's talk about the American recovery and reinvestment act of 2009. So, uh, are you saying that there's still money out there and that there's there's um, you know, really, I guess it surprises me to think that we still possibly working off projects or, or there's money still being allocated out of that act. And, and I know Trump had talked about it in some of his platform, um, for reelection and, and even before that for his initial, uh, election, is, are they looking to use some of that money to build a new stimulus package? Talk a little bit on that for us?
Speaker 3 00:05:27 Well, my understanding is they're going to come out with a whole new piece of legislation that will focus on the amount of about $2 trillion. And so I can imagine that you're just the States and cities, municipal systems are going to have to have their projects in line and ready to go because the key is at shovel-ready, they're going to want to get people hired and money changing hands as quickly as they can make it happen. Um, and know exactly where it's going. It's all going to be about transparency and knowing where this money went, you know, how it was spent, et cetera, and being able to answer questions for it. So shovel-ready is the key and, uh, I guess that, that's probably a good question. A good question. There is to answer what is shovel-ready and I'll read it,
Speaker 1 00:06:15 Please tell us a little bit about,
Speaker 3 00:06:20 So shovel ready is a phrase used to describe a construction project that is considered to be at an advanced enough stage of development for building to begin soon. So, you know, that means, uh, let's think about it from a pipeline perspective that would, you would think that permitting is done. Survey is already in place and, uh, you know, probably all bid packages out and selected and everything's ready to go and designs there too. And it's just a matter of going, boom, we got the money let's award it and start rolling. So, you know, they want to break ground as quickly as possible. I'll I'll, I'll, that's the layman's I guess that's the layman's explanation. So, but, but it works and to get it rolling
Speaker 1 00:07:09 And that's good because that, that helps me and I'm sure it's going to help our viewers too, just to understand that a little bit more. And, um, when you look at understanding more of the act, you've definitely opened up my eyes to a little bit of, you know, becoming consciously competent over that subject matter. So I greatly appreciate that. Let me ask you a question though, are there next steps that you're doing the industry is doing to get in the mix of this? I mean, what, what, what did we do
Speaker 3 00:07:42 As a company? And before I go into that as a company, I'll just go into that as a company. What we did is, uh, all the management of our company or the leadership of our company, asked all employees to correspond with their congressional representation day. And, uh, you know, we're in numerous States. And so you have multiple employees sending to all their various represent representatives. I sent it to three different people, two senators and, um, and one house member. And, uh, two of them responded still waiting on one to respond, but the key is, and I think everybody else should be doing the same thing is that push them to get this done, to work together, to get it done. Um, the other thing is to work with the associations to make sure that they're educated. And when I say that, cause I'm going to focus on gas and gas associations, you know, the membership's educated on what's what's next for them also, because if typically in this scenario, let's say they're going to build a new road and they're going to widen it.
Speaker 3 00:08:47 You may have a relocation problem there. And if it's a, uh, if it's a municipal system, they got to pay that if that's, if their pipelines in the public right away, that comes out of their pocket. So they got to figure out a way to get that paid for, is there a way to get a set aside that money for those types of scenarios? So there's going to have to be a lot of, uh, interaction between our representation as industry with, uh, you know, with Congress to make sure that kind of thing happens. And, um, you know, another thing is to think about is, uh, just kind of communicating when we know there's a project coming. Once they pass, this is to communicate between where that project's going and who your client and who your, you know, our prospect is to make sure they know what's coming up.
Speaker 3 00:09:35 It's just, it's a way to save a money cost and, and, uh, and headache. So that's our plan with everywhere that we're located. There's a, quite a few people that we can do that, you know, at least provide that information. So that's the goal. So I think it's a good opportunity for the country to get people back to work. I just hope that they can, uh, set aside enough differences because it's just so heavy right now that they can move this forward because it's going to be good for the country. This is one of the things that I think we really need. And I think everybody would agree with that roads. Interstate systems are terrible, lots of roads highways, et cetera, needle bridges, especially. So
Speaker 2 00:10:15 Absolutely. And I was going to mention the same thing, Randall, I think in a time where we're seeing unprecedented unemployment and we're worried about how we're going to get America Kickstarter back, what better way to do it with a huge stimulus package to help our infrastructure. So Randall you've, you've been an awesome guest. You've helped us understand really a lot of this. And even though you speak, you know, on the civil side, that ride product, could the pipeline work, that that could come from this and should come from this, and really how we can get involved as an industry as whether it be the committees we sit on in associations, whether it be the boards we sit on, whatever it might be, are groups that we can touch, you know, within our own companies to help, you know, really push this initiative forward, I think is what we gotta do. And I can tell there's a bird somewhere behind some things as well, but I've got about four Hawks
Speaker 3 00:11:13 Live around me. So they're always hunting cup though.
Speaker 2 00:11:20 Oh, Oh, you definitely earned a cop. Hey Randall, you're a bad dude, man. I'm, I'm friends with Randall on Facebook and, uh, I've seen, he's been doing this burpee challenge. I was hoping he do a few more for a while. All the while I'm sitting here watching him do it on video and I mean corn snacks, but we appreciate everything you're doing. Um, definitely a thought leader in our industry. We appreciate you informing everybody about the recovery and reinvestment act and what's the calm, right? Um, we, we are an industry. I believe that that feels like we're shovel ready. And, uh, to understand there's a little bit more that goes into shovel-ready. So thanks again for coming on. Uh, we appreciate you, uh, Jimmy, always a pleasure brother.
Speaker 1 00:12:11 Oh, is my friend always, we are a thick and thin you and I are. So, uh,
Speaker 2 00:12:17 So now we've got a third one, man. Randall's in there with us too. So for anyone that would like to join us and Hey, get a free mug out of the deal as well. Um, come share the spotlight with Jim and I we'd love to talk with you, uh, reach out, connect with any of us. If you have any questions for Randall or anyone at weight Tran or any questions about the stimulus stuff. I know Randall would be happy to answer. Uh, he, uh, can help you get involved. So absolutely, absolutely. So connect with everyone again, as we always say, we are blessed to be here. Uh, we are blessed to be in this industry. Uh, thank you so much. Talk to you soon.
Speaker 1 00:12:59 Be safe, be safe, everyone. Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you, sir. Have a great day.
Speaker 4 00:13:05 <inaudible>.
