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Powerline Podcast

Powerline Podcast

Ryan Lucas

This podcast is for anyone in the power line industry. Those of you that love to build and maintain power lines at work and after work. This is a collection of stories from line workers around the world. This is a community for us to share where we’ve been, who we’ve worked with, projects we’ve been apart of and hopefully pass on some of those key lessons that we could all learn from. This podcast will be a mix of line workers and their stories as well as other professionals sharing about how to keep a healthy mind, body and spirit.

311 - 3 Linemen Have A Very Real Conversation | Christopher Thomas & Clint Vick | 222
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  • 311 - 3 Linemen Have A Very Real Conversation | Christopher Thomas & Clint Vick | 222

    What does brotherhood look like when life gets hard?


    Ryan sits down with Christopher Thomas and Clint Vick for a deeply personal conversation about mental health, isolation, identity, and what it really means to look out for one another in the trades.


    Christopher is a Marine Corps veteran and journeyman lineman with more than 15 years in the trade, whose career has evolved into training, leadership, and helping strengthen the culture around the people doing the work.


    Clint returns to Powerline Podcast for a second time (listen to his first episode here). He is a longtime journeyman lineman whose career has taken him through utility work, barehand transmission, years on the road, leadership, and substation construction. Clint is also a very talented country artist; check out his music here.


    Both share openly about periods in their lives when they struggled to keep going, the isolation that made those periods harder, and the people who helped simply by showing up and continuing to check in.


    Together, they talk about the toll of road life, chasing overtime, losing connection at home, moving from the tools into increasingly isolated leadership roles, and tying too much of your identity to the job.


    More importantly, they talk about what helped: honest conversations, friends who kept calling, finding the right person to talk to, rebuilding purpose, taking care of your physical health, reconnecting with family and community, and creating a culture where checking on someone is simply part of the brotherhood.


    This episode isn't about having the perfect words.


    It's about knowing your people, noticing when something changes, making the call, and staying connected.


    If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs immediate support, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada.


    ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE✌️


    📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ⚡️GUESTS: CHRISTOPHER THOMAS & CLINT VICK⚡️

    Christopher's Instagram: @gummy_bears_and_deadlifts

    Clint's Instagram: @vickclint


    🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠


    💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥

    Email: ⁠⁠⁠powerlinepodcast@quantaservices.com⁠

    Thu, 17 Sep 2026 - 2h 04min
  • 310 - What If Mental Health Was Treated Like Jobsite Safety? | Wykisha Thomas-McKinney, Nate Strickland & Tyler Smith | 221

    What if mental health was treated with the same urgency as every other jobsite safety risk?


    Ryan sits down with Wykisha Thomas-McKinney of MATES North America, alongside Nate Strickland and Tyler Smith of Summit Line Construction, for an important conversation about suicide prevention, mental health, and what it really means to look out for the people working beside you.


    Wykisha is the Program Operations Manager for MATES North America, helping bring the peer-led suicide prevention model into North American construction. Nate is Summit Line Construction's Safety Director and shares both his professional perspective and personal experience with depression and losing close friends to suicide. Tyler is a Senior Project Manager with 23 years in the industry, including roughly 18 years living the realities of field and road work.


    Together, they unpack some of the pressures that can make construction and line work uniquely challenging: long rotations, isolation, missed family milestones, relationship strain, workplace trauma, substance use, and a culture that has historically told workers to put their game face on and keep moving.


    The conversation also breaks down the MATES Network of Safety, including General Awareness training, peer Connectors and advanced suicide intervention training designed to put support directly inside the workforce. The goal isn't to turn coworkers into therapists. It's to give people the tools to notice when something is wrong, ask the question, listen, offer support and help someone find the right resources.


    They also discuss why leaders set the tone for psychologically safer crews, why being vulnerable doesn't make someone less tough, how to check in with a coworker who seems off, and why building a mental-health plan before a crisis can make it easier to know where to turn when things get difficult.


    Whether you're an apprentice, journeyman, foreman, supervisor, safety professional, contractor, leader, spouse or friend, this episode is a reminder that safety doesn't stop at the hard hat.


    CONTENT NOTE: This episode discusses suicide, suicidal thoughts, depression, substance use, loss and workplace trauma.


    If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available:

    United States: Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Canada: Call or text 9-8-8 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline.If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.


    Learn more about MATES North America:

    matesna.org


    ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE✌️


    📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ⚡️GUESTS: WYKISHA THOMAS-MCKINNEY & NATE STRICKLAND⚡️

    LinkedIn: Wykisha Mckinney | Nathaniel Strickland


    MATES NORTH AMERICA PILOT

    Website: matesna.org

    Instagram: ⁠⁠@matesnorthamerica

    TikTok: @matesnorthamerica

    LinkedIn: MATES North America Pilot

    Facebook: @MATES North America Pilot

    X: @MATESNthAmerica


    🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠


    💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥

    Email: ⁠⁠⁠powerlinepodcast@quantaservices.com⁠

    Thu, 03 Sep 2026 - 1h 30min
  • 309 - How Do You Build a Life Like This? | Dennis Kelly | 220

    What does it take to build a life most people only dream about?


    Ryan travels to New York to sit down with Dennis Kelly for his third appearance on Powerline Podcast, and this time, they do it in person. Over the course of the visit, Dennis takes Ryan inside the world he has built, from KR Utilities and multiple businesses to airplanes, helicopters, supercars, motorcycles, racing, and the experiences that define his “Live the Lifestyle” mentality.


    Dennis shares how he went from working in the line trade to building his first fitness centre while working six tens, using every spare hour and available dollar to keep moving forward. He explains why small steps compound, how reputation creates opportunities, why relationships matter, and what it means to live according to your own values instead of someone else’s expectations.


    This conversation is not about copying Dennis’s lifestyle. It is about deciding what you want your own life to look like and taking practical steps toward it. Dennis breaks down the mindset, work ethic, calculated risks, relationships, and problem-solving that helped him build seven businesses and create a life centred around freedom, progress, and meaningful experiences.


    Topics covered:

    What “Live the Lifestyle” really means

    Starting a business while working full-time in the trade

    Taking one step and solving one problem at a time

    Why your reputation can create opportunities years later

    Building relationships before you need something

    Using linework as the foundation for entrepreneurship

    Why success brings bigger problems, not fewer problems

    Designing a life around freedom, values, and experiences

    Learning to fly airplanes and helicopters

    Dennis’s Hurricane Helene rescue and relief efforts

    Building businesses without taking an early paycheck

    Why small actions compound into extraordinary results


    Interested in storm work with KR Utilities? Join the KR Utilities storm list by visiting KRutilities.com.


    Subscribe to Powerline Podcast for more conversations with the people building careers, businesses, and lives beyond the trade.


    ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE✌️ 

    📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱


    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ⚡️GUEST: DENNIS KELLY⚡️

    Instagram: ⁠⁠@denkelly10 | @krutilities

    LinkedIn: Dennis Kelly | KR Utilities


    🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠


    💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥

    Email: ⁠⁠⁠powerlinepodcast@quantaservices.com⁠

    Thu, 06 Aug 2026 - 1h 16min
  • 308 - How Does a Company Survive 100 Years? | Rod Paul & Justin Tate | 219

    How does a company survive for 100 years in one of the most niche industries in America?


    Ryan sits down with Rod Paul, President & CEO of Bashlin Industries, and Justin Tate, leader in Sales & Product Development, to explore the story behind one of the utility industry's most trusted manufacturers. From humble beginnings to becoming a name generations of lineworkers rely on, Bashlin's journey has been defined by one constant: adapting to change.


    Rod and Justin share how the company has navigated a century of industry shifts through product innovation, customer feedback, leadership transitions, and a commitment to earning trust one product at a time. They also discuss the challenges facing modern manufacturing, including workforce shortages, automation, robotic welding, and what it takes to continue building products in America.


    The conversation explores why trust is earned through consistency, how companies stay relevant across generations, the importance of listening to customers, and why every successful business eventually reaches another moment where it must adapt or risk being left behind.


    Whether you're an apprentice, journeyman, supervisor, contractor, manufacturer, business owner, or simply interested in leadership and innovation, this episode offers valuable lessons from a company that has spent 100 years evolving alongside the industry it serves.


    Topics covered:

    The history of Bashlin IndustriesSurviving 100 years in a niche industryWhy innovation never stopsBuilding products lineworkers trustCustomer-driven product developmentLeadership through changeThe future of American manufacturingWorkforce shortages and skilled tradesRobotics and automation in manufacturingLessons from a century of adaptation



    ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE✌️


    📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ⚡️GUESTS: ROD PAUL, JUSTIN TATE & BASHLIN INDUSTRIES⚡️


    ROD PAUL / BASHLIN INDUSTRIES

    Website: bashlin.com

    Instagram: ⁠⁠@bashlininc

    YouTube: @bashlinindustriesinc.9630

    LinkedIn: Bashlin

    Facebook: Bashlin Industries

    X: @bashlininc


    JUSTIN TATE

    LinkedIn: Justin Tate


    🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠


    💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥

    Email: ⁠⁠⁠powerlinepodcast@quantaservices.com⁠

    Thu, 23 Jul 2026 - 1h 05min
  • 307 - 3 Myths About Manufacturing Transformers in America | Bart Gaskey & Todd Davis | 218

    Why the electrical industry is entering a decades-long boom.


    Ryan sits down with Pennsylvania Transformer Technology’s Bart Gaskey and Todd Davis inside one of North America’s largest transformer manufacturing facilities to explore the growing demand for power infrastructure and why the future of the electrical industry has never looked stronger.


    Bart is a strategic manufacturing leader with decades of experience across transformer manufacturing, grid infrastructure, and large-scale energy projects. Todd is a longtime manufacturing leader who has worked across multiple transformer manufacturers and now helps lead operations at Pennsylvania Transformer Technology.


    Together, they break down the myths surrounding American transformer manufacturing, explain why massive investments are flowing back into domestic production, and reveal how AI, data centers, electrification, renewable energy, and grid expansion are creating one of the biggest opportunities the electrical industry has seen in decades.


    The conversation explores why transformers are far more complex than most people realize, what it takes to build equipment that powers millions of homes and businesses, how Pennsylvania Transformer Technology is preparing for the future with major facility expansions, and why hundreds of new careers are opening for the next generation of skilled tradespeople.


    Whether you’re an apprentice, journeyman, engineer, contractor, manufacturer, student, or simply curious about the future of North America’s electrical grid, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important industries most people never get to see.


    Topics covered:

    Why the electrical industry is entering a decades-long boom

    The truth about manufacturing transformers in America

    Why AI, data centers, and electrification are driving unprecedented demand

    How large power transformers are designed and built

    Why every transformer is custom engineered

    The nearly 100-year history of Pennsylvania Transformer Technology

    What it takes to manufacture 765 kV transformers

    The logistics of transporting equipment weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds

    How Quanta is expanding domestic manufacturing capacity

    Why skilled trades offer one of the most secure career paths today

    Hundreds of career opportunities available in transformer manufacturing

    The future of North America’s electrical grid



    ✌️SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE✌️


    📱FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA📱

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@powerlinepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Powerline Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@Powerline-Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

    X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@PowerlinePodcst⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ⚡️GUESTS: BART GASKEY, TODD DAVIS & PENNSYLVANIA TRANSFORMER TECHNOLOGY LLC (PTT)⚡️


    BART GASKEY

    LinkedIn: Bart Gaskey


    TODD DAVIS

    LinkedIn: Todd Davis


    PENNSYLVANIA TRANSFORMER TECHNOLOGY LLC (PTT)

    Instagram:@patransformer

    TikTok: @pennsylvania.transformer

    YouTube: @PATransformer

    LinkedIn: Pennsylvania Transformer Technology LLC (PTT)

    Facebook: @PATransformer

    Website: https://www.patransformer.com/


    🎙️HOST: RYAN LUCAS🎙️

    Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ryanwlucas⁠⁠⁠⁠

    LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ryan Lucas⁠⁠⁠⁠


    💥INQUIRIES OR GUEST SUGGESTION💥

    Email: ⁠⁠⁠powerlinepodcast@quantaservices.com⁠

    Thu, 09 Jul 2026 - 1h 17min
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