PODCAST · business
Beyond Engineering
by RTM Engineering Consultants
Beyond Engineering showcases the stories behind RTM’s success - from empowering career growth and fostering collaboration to merging with firms that share our values. Through candid conversations with our team, we explore the leadership, innovation, and culture that make RTM a place where passionate people thrive. With a people-first approach, we’re shaping careers, strengthening partnerships, and building a better future through engineering.
Episodes
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Designing RTM’s Future: Inside the Centers of Excellence
RTM kicked off 2025 with a bold move from an office-based structure to Centers of Excellence organized around markets and disciplines. We sit down with Kat Duytschaever, David Piluski, Matt Whisler, and Larry Kaprielian to talk about how that decision came to life, what weekly collaboration…
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Electrifying Luxury: The Realities of Sustainable Mountain Resorts
Electrifying a luxury mountain hotel sounds straightforward—until guest expectations, site constraints, and rural utility capacity collide. In this episode, RTM Principal Eric Rubottom joins host Catherine Jelinek to cut through the buzz and talk about what actually works. We unpack why…
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People First, Deals Second: Inside RTM’s M&A Philosophy
What does it really take to grow through mergers and acquisitions without losing who you are? In this episode, Justin Ramirez and Rod Finkle share how RTM’s “people-first” approach to M&A has shaped the firm’s growth. From honoring legacy to navigating fear and control, they walk us through why…
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RTM Then and Now
In this special episode, Aaron Burch and Dorrie McDonald share their 20+ year journey at RTM—from small-office beginnings to a thriving national firm. They reflect on pivotal moments like the Great Recession, the shift into new markets, and the challenges and opportunities of the pandemic. Along...
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Summer at RTM: Intern Stories
This episode brings you inside RTM’s internship program through the voices of four of our summer interns: Shayla Johnson, Alex Scharfe, Anna Mattson, and Habiba Watfa. They share why they chose RTM, the projects and site visits that shaped their learning, and how mentorship has impacted their...
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Redefining Business Development
Business development doesn't have to mean "sales." In this conversation with Eric Rubottom, we explore how innovation, integrity, and execution are the real engines behind growth. Eric walks us through his journey from engineer to builder of new service lines within RTM, and how passion, clarity,...
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How RTM Builds Careers Around Passion, Not Just Job Titles
What if your career wasn’t just something you did but something you shaped, on your terms? That’s the theme of today’s episode. I’m joined by Jess Iversen and Dan Koelliker, two dynamic leaders at RTM who share how autonomy, mentorship, and culture have allowed them, and many others, to thrive in...
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Principal Perspectives: Real Talk on Leading, Mentoring, and Thriving
In this episode of Beyond Engineering, we sit down with two of RTM’s newest Principals—Maggie Motto and Courtney Leaf. Though their paths to leadership were very different, both share a commitment to mentorship, a passion for people, and a deep appreciation for RTM’s culture of trust and support....
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The Real Work of Mergers: Culture, Trust, and Growth
What happens when you find the right fit? Jennifer Luce, John Miller, and Rich Clark each led successful firms before choosing to merge with RTM. In this conversation, they open up about why they made the decision, how the integration unfolded, and what it feels like now—years later—to be part of...
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Women Engineers on Confidence, Culture, and Career Longevity
The engineering industry has evolved over the years, but what is it like for women in the field today? In this episode, we sit down with Kathleen Knutson, Calisse McPherson, and Morgan Erickson—three engineers at different stages in their careers—to explore the changing landscape of engineering…
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Mergers, Growth & The Human Factor: A Conversation with Justin Ramirez
The People-First Approach to Mergers Mergers aren’t just about growth—they’re about people. In this episode, Justin Ramirez, Director of Strategic Growth at RTM, shares how RTM takes a relationship-driven approach to expansion. From finding the right cultural fit to ensuring long-term success, he...
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Empowering Excellence: How RTM Engineering Redefined Success in 2024
Starting off this season of Beyond Engineering, our new host Catherine Jelinek debuts with an inspiring conversation with Tony Mirchandani, CEO of RTM Engineering Consultants. They reflect on RTM’s monumental year in 2024, from welcoming over 100 new team members and completing four mergers to...
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How RTM’s CORE Values Guide Everyday Decisions
How can you recognize a strong company culture? When company values guide decisions both big and small. In this episode, we’ve compiled insights from three RTM Principals from across the country. Randy Moss, Jeff Hancock, and Rod Finkle share stories from their day-to-day experiences as leaders…
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How Senior Engineers at RTM Find Fulfillment in Problem-Solving
While some might dread facing down a new challenge, for many problem-solving provides the variety and challenge which keeps them engaged in their careers. In this episode, Dave Piluski, Principal at RTM Engineering Consultants, sits down with senior engineer Adam Marks. The two discuss Adam’s…
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RTM Reflections: Inside RTM's Civil Engineering Practice
This special miniseries takes a deep dive into the Civil Engineering practice at RTM Engineering Consultants. Follow along as we trace the career paths and mentorship relationships of several RTM civil engineers, explore what drew them to RTM and why they’ve stayed, and finally showcase several...
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How RTM Civil Engineers Meet The Needs of Project Partners
To the untrained eye, many crucial elements of a given engineering project may be invisible. In this episode, RTM Civil Engineer Matt Whisler sits down with fellow Principal Dave Piluski to continue their conversation about how RTM civil engineers tackle those critical but invisible elements and...
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How RTM’s Civil Engineering Team Collaborates Across the Country to Solve Specialized Problems
Weathering life’s storms takes teamwork, strong relationships, and creative stormwater management. In this episode, Civil Engineer Matt Whisler sits down with fellow Principal Dave Piluski to discuss the collaborative communication that makes RTM’s civil engineering team unique, through the lens…
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One Principal’s Path: Building a Career of Knowledge
We gain wisdom as the sum of our experiences, and just like in civil engineering, it is the inner work that is important. In this episode, Principal and Civil Engineer Matt Whisler sits down with Head of Talent Acquisition Jen Mikulski to trace his career path. From his start building skateboard...
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One Principal’s Path: From Concept to Completion
Both careers and buildings start with simple concepts and grow into impressive constructions. In this episode, Jeff Hancock sits down with Jen Mikulski, head of talent acquisition, to trace how he built his career and elaborate on the skills guiding his continued growth as a principal in RTM’s...
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How RTM’s CORE Values Create Cohesive Working Environments
When an office runs smoothly, what does it look, sound and feel like? In this episode, Jen Mikulski, Head of Talent Acquisition for RTM Engineering Consultants, sits down with Jeff Hancock, Principal & Office Leader of RTM’s Dallas office. Jeff shares how, as an office leader, he monitors morale,...
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One Principal's Path: Moving the Needle with Meaningful Work
Our values shape our vision of success and provide the template for pursuing it, and shared values lead to shared victories. In this episode, Rod Finkle, director of corporate development, sits down with fellow RTM Principal Dave Piluski to share how intentionality, connection, and shared passion...
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How RTM Taps Talent and Passion to Cultivate Committed Teams
What happens to your career, your team, and your day to day happiness when the position is optimized to fit the team member, not the other way around? In this episode, Director of Corporate Development at RTM Rod Finkle sits down with fellow Principal Dave Piluski to share the story of how he...
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One Principal’s Path: A Seasoned Pro with a Desire to Grow
Though conventional wisdom tells us that our attitude is the key to tackling challenges, our team and the culture of our workplace are what frame an opportunity as either overwhelming, or energizing. In this episode, Orlando Principal Randy Moss shares his journey from discovering RTM to crafting…
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How RTM’s Culture of Collaboration Builds Networks of Leaders
When we replace our mental image of leadership as a ladder with one of leadership as a web of shared wisdom, we better understand how collaborative leadership supports those involved and offers them support. In this episode, Randy Moss, a Principal at RTM’s Orlando Office, shares how RTM’s CORE...
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How Collaborative Communication Builds Trusted Partnerships at RTM
A trusted partnership between engineers and architects requires each side to care about building relationships as much as building buildings. In this episode, we listen to three conversations between architects from trusted partners and their RTM counterparts as they discuss the shared values and...
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How Respect and Trust Create Meaningful Mentorships at RTM
When is an engineer ready to pass their wisdom down to the next up-and-comer? It may be sooner than they think. In this episode, we listen across four conversations as RTM engineers at all phases of their careers discuss their roles as both mentors and mentees and the way RTM’s conscious culture…
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How RTM Develops and Supports Confident Female Engineers
According to the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), women make up as little as 10% of some engineering disciplines. In this episode, we feature seven women who have worked at and with RTM in roles at all levels of the organization. The secret to their confidence? CORE values.
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How Do RTM Mentors Help Interns Become Better Learners?
Learning—like teaching—is a skill. In this episode RTM Intern Hope Huenecke returns to the podcast to sit down with her mentor, Project Engineer Alex Babusci, and discuss how their collaborative communication has made them both better learners and better teachers.
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How Does Mentorship Help RTM Engineers--and RTM--Grow?
If civil engineers lay the groundwork for a building, what lays the groundwork for a growing company? In this episode, Civil Engineer Luke Keller sits down with his mentee McKenna Mintz to discuss how RTM’s CORE values help both mentors and mentees grow into excellent engineers.
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RTM Reflections: How We Recruit at Career Fairs
As RTM’s Beyond Engineering closes another year’s run of episodes, this special miniseries reviews advice we shared with students preparing to attend college or university career fairs. Who from RTM could you meet there? What’s the best way to get to know our firm’s culture? Maybe even land an…
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RTM Reflections: Exploring Our Collaborative Professional Partnerships
As another year of RTM’s Beyond Engineering rolls to a close, we’re reflecting on the professional services partnerships that help RTM engineers make both local and global impacts. In this special miniseries, we’ve compiled features with our partners Legat Architects and Ware Malcomb, delving…
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What Does the Future Look Like for RTM Interns?
Without a time machine, it’s impossible to predict any one engineer’s career path, but we may be able to preview RTM Intern’s futures by looking to the past. In this episode, RTM Principal Tim Hedrick sits down with former Intern--and current Project Engineer--Ryan Krohne to discuss what…
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What Can RTM Engineers Learn from Design Partnerships?
The best partner is one who is dedicated to learning alongside you. In this episode, Kate Lyle, Director of Industrial Cold & Food at design services firm Ware Malcomb, chats with RTM Principal Mike Best about the hidden intricacies of industrial cold storage and the ways RTM & Ware Malcomb…
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How Does RTM Help Interns Grow Their Networks?
“Grow your network” is standard advice to university students, but what exactly does that mean? In this episode, Tim Hedrick sits down with two RTM interns to discuss the way their networks have contributed to their career journeys. Hope Huenecke and Madison Huschak share the ways they each...
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How Do You Know if RTM is the Right Fit For You?
It’s just as important that a company be a great fit for the candidate as that the candidate be a great fit for the company. In this episode, Karissa Shaner and Tim Hedrick examine how student job-seekers can prepare for career fairs and evaluate potential employers by charting Karissa’s…
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What Makes an Ideal Candidate for RTM?
Does a career fair have to be a nerve-wracking experience? RTM’s recruiting team thinks not. In this episode, Karissa Shaner and Tim Hedrick discuss what a “rockstar” candidate looks like to RTM, share some tips on prepping for the fair, and, most importantly, assure listeners that they were just...
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How Does RTM Cultivate a Culture of Mentorship?
When, exactly, does someone become qualified to be a mentor? In this episode, Cory Kucey sits down with his mentee Connor Brennan to discuss their parallel experiences discovering RTM, and the ways the culture of mentorship has supported their career growth, including their experiences developing...
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How Do RTM & Legat Architects Take on Environmental Responsibility?
What’s the connection between the learning environment and the global environment? In this episode, RTM principal and series regular Kathryn Duytschaever continues her conversation with Robin Randall, Director of Learning at Legat Architects, discussing the difference between sustainability and...
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How Do RTM Engineers and Ware Malcomb Bring National Resources to Local Relationships?
Most of us don't think about the design & engineering required to bring our food safely from farm to table across the US, but in this episode, Melinda Thurston, Business Development Executive at RTM Engineering Consultants, sits down with Kate Lyle, Director of Industrial Cold & Food at Ware...
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How do RTM & Legat Architects Design A+ Learning Environments?
A good education starts before the first bell rings, with the thoughtful design of the school itself. In this episode, Kathryn Duytschaever, Principal at RTM Engineering Consultants, and Robin Randall, Director of Learning at Legat Architects, dig into Robin’s area of expertise: building schools...
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How Does RTM Build Meaningful Partnerships?
In this episode, Principal Kathryn Duytschaever connects with Robin Randall, Director of Learning at Legat Architects and long-time design partner, to discuss the way their respect and communication have set the foundation for lasting collaboration.
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How Are RTM & B.E.S.T. Labs Raising the Bar for Technical Training?
Building a training environment requires a vision for the future of both the technology students will encounter, and the training they will receive there. In this episode, Principal David Piluski continues his conversation with Jose Vital, Program Coordinator for Harper College’s HVAC/R program…
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How Is RTM Designing the Future of Learning?
When engineers build systems, they count on technicians to maintain them. In this episode, RTM Principal David Piluski sits down with Jose Vital, Program Coordinator for Harper College’s HVAC/R program, to discuss how their collaboration resulted in an innovative learning environment for both...
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How Does Mentorship at RTM Shape the Workplace, and the World Around Us?
In today’s episode, we continue the conversation between civil engineering Principal Matt Whisler and his mentee, Project Lead Luke Keller. They discuss the ways their daily collaborations set them up for success on projects around the country and create a culture of responsibility and support...
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How Do Engineers Across Career Phases Discover Opportunity at RTM?
RTM Engineering Consultants has opportunities for engineers across many fields, and at all stages of their careers. In today’s episode, two civil engineers at RTM—Matt Whisler and his mentee Luke Keller—compare notes on how they discovered RTM, when they realized it was a good fit for their own...
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How Does RTM Build Culture Through Recruitment?
In this episode, Principal Tim Hedrick speaks with HR intern Elissa Natale about the ways he identifies collaborative communicators at career fairs and builds overall unity at RTM by recruiting excellent engineers with learning mindsets.
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One Year of Beyond Engineering: Celebrating Values
As we approach one year of publishing Beyond Engineering, this miniseries compiles reflections on the CORE values that underpin RTM’s strong culture: how they came to be, how they manifest day to day, and how they put the team in a position to succeed.
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One Year of Beyond Engineering: Celebrating Journeys
As the one-year anniversary of Beyond Engineering approaches, this special miniseries looks back at the journeys our featured guests traveled: Several RTM Principals--and their mentees—share how they discovered the company, and how RTM has supported their growth both as engineers and individuals.
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One Principal’s Path: Curating Culture Through Consequential Conversation
Tim Hedrick, Principal at RTM’s Schaumberg office, may be a familiar name to returning listeners. In this episode, HR Intern Elissa Natale sits down with Tim to discuss his journey with RTM: From the career crossroads that led him to join, to determining company culture still in place today.
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What Does RTM Look for at University Career Fairs?
In this episode RTM HR intern Elissa Natale tells host Celine Dirkes why she pinpointed RTM Engineering Consultants as the place for her, why she’s chosen to stay, and how she identifies the soft skills that make college engineers great fits for RTM.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Beyond Engineering showcases the stories behind RTM’s success - from empowering career growth and fostering collaboration to merging with firms that share our values. Through candid conversations with our team, we explore the leadership, innovation, and culture that make RTM a place where passionate people thrive. With a people-first approach, we’re shaping careers, strengthening partnerships, and building a better future through engineering.
HOSTED BY
RTM Engineering Consultants
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Beyond Engineering have?
Beyond Engineering currently has 59 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Beyond Engineering about?
Beyond Engineering showcases the stories behind RTM’s success - from empowering career growth and fostering collaboration to merging with firms that share our values. Through candid conversations with our team, we explore the leadership, innovation, and culture that make RTM a place where...
How often does Beyond Engineering release new episodes?
Beyond Engineering has 59 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Beyond Engineering?
You can listen to Beyond Engineering on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Beyond Engineering?
Beyond Engineering is created and hosted by RTM Engineering Consultants.
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