14 Rob VanGorder - West Point Grad, Combat Engineer Officer, Walsh Group SVP, Father

➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by: https://jet.build/ Summary: Rob VanGorder - West Point Graduate, Sapper School graduate, and Combat Engineer Officer. Rob served as a Combat Engineer and Heavy Equipment Platoon Leader, and Company Executive Officer during Operation Restore Hope (Mogadishu). Today, Rob is a Senior Vice President at The Walsh Group - Walsh Construction & Archer Western and the Executive Sponsor of 'Veterans of Walsh'. Most importantly, Rob is a father of four. Rob grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and later moved to the Marblehead Peninsula. In eighth grade, he became interested in attending West Point and pursued that goal throughout high school. Rob describes the rigorous schedule and intense training at West Point, where he formed lifelong friendships. After graduation, he attended the engineer officer basic course and then joined the 4th Infantry Division in Fort Carson, Colorado. Rob emphasizes the importance of the engineering background in his construction career. After serving in the military, Rob VanGorder transitioned into the construction industry. He started as a project engineer and quickly moved up the ranks. He advises military veterans to be willing to start at a lower position and work their way up. He also emphasizes the importance of overcoming stereotypes and biases that may exist in the civilian workplace. Rob highlights the transferable skill of collaborative leadership that veterans bring to the table. Rob VanGorder discusses the importance of leadership and teamwork in both the military and business. He highlights the value of learning to be both a leader and a follower, and the ability to support the decisions made by the leader. Rob shares his career journey in the construction industry, working in various roles and verticals. He emphasizes the significance of building relationships and the impact they have had on his career. Mentions in This Video Rob's Info: ➡︎ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-vangorder-7ab736124/ ➡︎ Books: - The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War: https://amzn.to/4dqMuPk (amazon) - Safety 24/7: Building an Incident-Free Culture: https://amzn.to/3yKslVw (amazon) Subscribe To Our Podcast Here ➡︎ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKONY1n1qysTx2RiBiwj28QzLc8gI2oui ➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZizGddgHgKA4oimoLkNRc?si=cd7c0afd6b064292 ➡︎ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3Vt3rCE ➡︎ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vwbshow/ ➡︎ X: https://twitter.com/TheVWBShow ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstark512/ ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veterans-who-build ➡︎ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteranswhobuild/ The Veterans Who Build Show ➡︎ At VWB, we are on a mission to provide a platform for Veterans to share their story, empower others for success, transition from Military to civilian to profession, chat translatable skills, professional and personal wins, and all things Built Environment The VWB Show Sponsors ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by @jetbuild ➡︎ Find more information on Jet.Build, here: www.jet.build ➡︎ Jet.Build is THE central command for RE development and construction project management software. Solutions range from project finance to stakeholder collaboration, construction operations, and data reporting with AI. Jet.Build is the better way to build Timecodes / Chapters 00:00 Childhood and the Path to West Point 04:05 The Intense Training and Lifelong Friendships at West Point 11:00 Influence of Family and Graduation from West Point 31:23 The Role of Non-Commissioned Officers in Guiding Young Officers 58:03 Transitioning into the Construction Industry 01:03:29 Overcoming Stereotypes and Biases 01:07:05 Leadership and Teamwork 01:14:33 Building Relationships 01:29:43 Communication and Mental Health 01:32:47 Physical Health and Wellness 01:37:17 Jet.Build Sponsor #veteranswhobuild #realestatedevelopment #construction #aec #cre #realestate #veterans #adamstark