Laying the Groundwork

Mentoring the Next Generation

Welcome to Laying the Groundwork - the newly rebranded Tomlinson podcast. In this inaugural episode, host Francis Brazeau sits down with two of Tomlinson’s longest-serving team members: Dennis Colautti and Andre (Andy) Michaud. With nearly 100years of combined experience, they share candid stories and hard-earned wisdom on mentoring the next generation in construction. From family legacies and old-school foremen to modern challenges like training younger team members who may lack field experience, Dennis and Andy pull back the curtain on what it really takes to develop strong, capable leaders at Tomlinson. The conversation is filled with practical advice, funny stories, and valuable lessons on patience, integrity, planning, and building relationships that last. Episode Highlights * Dennis’s remarkable family story - from his grandfather’s immigration to restarting the family construction business * Andy’s journey starting at 18 on an iron crew under the “meanest foreman” in the business * The famous “Padding” story - how a $30k–$40k mistake became one of Dennis’s most important teaching tools * The 24-Hour Rule: Why patience and calculated responses matter in high-pressure situations * Old-school wisdom vs. new realities - the importance of field experience, picking up the phone, and building real relationships * Letting young team members “fail safely” and challenging them to think critically * Tomlinson’s culture of integrity, customer service, and pride in the work Key Takeaways & Quotes On Patience: “I have a twenty-four hour rule… don’t give the answer right away. Sleep on it overnight. Think about it.” On Learning from Mistakes: “It was a real big learning curve… I learned my lesson and developed so we weren’t going to have it again.” On Mentoring: “Sometimes I’ll let them win one… and let them fail - as long as it doesn’t cost very much money. That way they learn.” On Communication: “You don’t just send an email and wait two weeks. Get on the phone. It takes five minutes.” On Leadership: “Do the hardest thing first in the morning… Don’t run away from anything.” On Tomlinson Culture: “They were never shy about doing the right thing and always supplying the right equipment and the right people.” Whether you’re a seasoned leader, a new team member, or someone considering a career in construction, this episode delivers timeless, practical wisdom rooted in decades of real execution.

Red Army Radio – Something Big Is Coming

Red Army Radio has been the place where Tomlinson stories found their voice – a space built on pride, people, and the projects shaping our communities. Now, that legacy is evolving. Red Army Radio is getting a full rebrand. We’re taking everything you already love about the show and moving it into a bigger, bolder direction -one designed to take listeners deeper into the real-world processes that define the construction and environmental services industries. Whether you’re navigating industry trends, tackling operational challenges, or looking to stay sharp in a rapidly evolving field, this new chapter offers informed, authentic dialogue that resonates with professionals like you. We can’t wait to share the new name and the very first episode with you this May! Until then… stay tuned.

Inside the Boardroom: What Leaders Want You to Know in 2025

Welcome to Red Army Radio — the official Tomlinson Group podcast celebrating the people, projects, and progress driving our business forward. In this year-in-review episode, host Francis Brazeau is joined by Adam Hendriks, Ryan Downing, and Ron Tomlinson to break down the biggest wins, toughest challenges, and most surprising moments in the past year. Together, they reflect on how Tomlinson teams responded to major external pressures — including the February tariff shock and unexpected technology setbacks — while still delivering standout results in construction, materials supply, environmental services, and logistics. The conversation highlights cross-divisional collaboration, frontline resilience, and innovations that are shaping the future of our operations. Ron shares a breakthrough sustainability milestone: producing green asphalt without natural gas or conventional fuels, a major step forward for low-carbon road building. Adam spotlights the Thunder Road project, a standout example of circular construction that used 100% recycled materials while maintaining performance standards. The group also dives into a fun and revealing “Myth vs. Reality” segment, clearing up common misconceptions in the industry — like the idea that Head Office only focuses on strategy, that winter is downtime, or that quality slows production. They also unpack the real story on AI in construction, emphasizing that artificial intelligence is being adopted as a productivity and decision-support tool, not a replacement for skilled people. To close, the team looks ahead to what’s next: expanding the salt business, launching a new conveyor system at Ontario Trap Rock, and exploring opportunities to offer Material Supply and Logistics (MSL) services to external customers. Episode Highlights * Tariff Surprise & Industry Impact * How February tariffs sent shockwaves through operations — and how Tomlinson teams rapidly adjusted forecasting and planning. * Green Asphalt Innovation * A sustainability win: creating asphalt without natural gas or conventional fuels, reducing emissions while maintaining quality. * Thunder Road Recycled Materials  * A landmark construction project proving recycled materials can deliver top-tier results at full scale. * Myth vs. Reality: Construction & Head Office * Debunking myths about field vs. office roles, winter operations, and the connection between quality and productivity. * AI in the Industry (Productivity, Not Replacement) * Real examples of how AI supports contract evaluation, tendering, and data analysis to help teams work smarter. * The Challenge Coin Story * The origin of the core values challenge coin and how it reinforces recognition and appreciation across Tomlinson. Key Takeaways & Quotes * Resilience in Action * “The thing I take away is that the Red Army just jumps right in and gets things done… it doesn't affect our business.” * Innovation That Works * “We were hoping it was going to work. We were happy when it did work.” * Customer Strength Comes from the Field * “The field is probably the greatest source of positive interactions with the customer side.” * Quality Drives Speed — Not the Other Way Around * “Quality does not slow us down. And we've learned that lesson firsthand a few times.” * AI as a Competitive Advantage * “AI is code for trying to use technology to get better at what we do and make decisions faster.” * Always Evolving * “We need to constantly change and evolve… and we will just continue to do that.”

Great Lakes, Greater Logistics: Inside Tomlinson’s Marine Shipping & Logistics Team

Welcome to Red Army Radio! Today, Francis sits down with Rob Pierce and Rory Hughes from Tomlinson’s Marine Shipping and Logistics team. In this episode, we explore the massive world of shipping, dock development, and marine logistics from Ontario Trap Rock’s quarry operations in Bruce Mines to the evolving Universal Terminals site in Morrisburg.  Rory shares how the team is transforming the Morrisburg dock property, remediating soils and preparing the six-acre dock and fifty acres of industrial land for full-scale development. Rob breaks down the complexities of moving thousands of tons of stone across the Great Lakes and the partnerships that make it possible, including Tomlinson’s joint vessel ownership with McKeil Marine.  Together, they reveal what it takes to move millions of tons of material across North America’s waterways, the ingenuity behind new conveyor systems and dock expansions, and how teamwork and readiness turn unexpected opportunities into success stories.  Episode Highlights  * Revitalizing the Site: How the team turned a fuel terminal into a modern marine logistics hub ready for large-scale development.  * The Power of Traprock: Why this dense, durable aggregate is in high demand for highways and rail lines across North America.  * Owning the Supply Chain: The strategic partnership with McKeil Marine that gives Tomlinson control from quarry to customer.  * Engineering Ingenuity: Installing a multi-kilometre conveyor under a highway to move material directly from the quarry to ships.  * Unexpected Opportunities: How the team helped deliver a massive grain dryer too large for road transport - proving readiness pays off.  * Smart Logistics: Using AI modeling to optimize shipping schedules, dock layouts, and product handling efficiency.  * Team Dedication: 24/7 coordination between quarry, docks, and marine carriers to keep shipments on schedule.    Key Takeaways  * “Sometimes it’s about touching the material less to ensure better quality.”  * “There’s not a whole bunch of stuff we can’t handle.”  * “Every time you talk to a grain farmer in eastern Ontario, they’re looking for more outlets for their product—and we want to be part of that solution.”  * “Never a dull day. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, there’s another curveball that gets thrown your way.”

Building Bank Street with Chadwick Haines and Robin Malyon

Welcome to Red Army Radio!  Today, Francis sits down with Project Manager Chadwick Haines and Superintendent Robin Malyon to talk about life on one of their larger projects — the reconstruction of Bank Street from Riverside to Heron.  In this episode, we get into what it’s really like managing an integrated road, sewer, and utility project in the heart of the city — where every day brings a new surprise underground. Chadwick and Robin share how their team has kept things running smoothly through unexpected conflicts, deep excavations, and constant pedestrian traffic, all while keeping morale high and the work moving forward.  They also open up about teamwork, learning lessons, and what it means to lead a crew that truly cares. From hidden “duck banks” to late-night concrete pours, this one’s packed with humour, honesty, and heart from two of Tomlinsons team members.  Episode Highlights  * How Chadwick and Robin got into the construction industry.  * A behind-the-scenes look at the Bank Street project  * When unexpected duck banks forced the team to dig twelve feet deeper than planned.  * How keeping the same crews on site built communication and trust.  * Navigating pedestrians, traffic pinball, and unexpected changes.   * Shoutitng out all the team members that make this project run so smoothly.  * The stress of the first change order — and learning to stay calm through daily surprises.  * Robin’s lessons in patience and mentorship with new team members.  * The power of collaboration with Robinson Consultants and the City of Ottawa.  * The Chipotle wrap.  Key Takeaways  “Stuff comes up, we find a solution, we move on.”  “On this job we have over one hundred and ten CRs so far… over one hundred and sixty changes.”  “You can’t ask for more in a superintendent.”  “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had before on a job… I’m gonna be sad when this job ends.”  “I think patience — we deal with a lot of younger people these days and just taking time to sit down with them and explain stuff.”  “We had maybe thirty meters of pipe in… and then there was another duck bank”  “Any problem you need a solution to, we can find it.”