From the Hockey Rink to the Board Room: A Chairman's Journey

In this episode of Flintco Talks, you’ll hear from Greg Kozicz, Chairman of Alberici Corporation, as he shares his journey from a small Ontario mining town to leading a $4.5 billion construction enterprise. Growing up as one of six boys in modest circumstances, Greg learned self-sufficiency early – folding pizza boxes for pennies to afford hockey equipment shaped his work ethic and commitment to excellence. Greg reveals how rigorous hiring practices, commitment to operational excellence, and following global capital flows transformed Alberici into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise while maintaining authentic culture and industry-leading retention rates.Key Insights: • The Three-Step Formula: "Get the right work, do the work right, get paid for all the work you do" - a simple framework that guided massive growth • Excellence Over Perfection: Building team culture through achievable standards rather than impossible expectations drives sustainable success• Stewardship Leadership: Viewing leadership as temporary guardianship of organizational culture creates multi-generational thinking and 20% industry-average turnover • Acquisition as Hiring: The Flintco acquisition succeeded because it was treated as "hiring 1,200 people in one day" rather than a traditional buyoutSubscribe to Flintco Talks for more conversations on leadership, culture, and the future of construction.Chapter Breakdown: • 0:00 - Introduction and Growing Up in Ontario Mining Town • 3:30 - Six Brothers, Self-Sufficiency, and Early Work Ethic • 8:15 - Hockey Career and Coaches Who Shaped Leadership Style • 12:45 - Excellence vs. Perfection Philosophy • 16:20 - From PhD in Trade Policy to Foreign Service • 22:10 - Transition to Construction and Steve Perfect's Three-Step Formula • 28:20 - Meeting John Alberici and Learning Stewardship • 35:40 - Fanatical Hiring Process and Cultural Screening • 42:15 - The Flintco Acquisition Story • 52:30 - Geographic Strategy and Market Vulnerability • 58:45 - Cultural Fit and Retention Success • 1:02:30 - Favorite Projects and Team Stories • 1:12:20 - St. Jude's Blood Donation and Client Commitment • 1:18:45 - Strategic Market Wins and Misses • 1:25:30 - Closing Thoughts on Excellence and Stewardship#leadership #Legacy #constructionindustry #AlbericiConstructors #FlintcoTalks