Georgia Construction Careers

Part 2 of Kenny Mullin's "Coffee with Kenny" conversation with Jason Esteves. Jason is running for Governor in the state of Georgia. Georgia Construction Careers Business Manager Kenny Mullins sits down with the gubernatorial hopeful to learn more about him, learn where he stands on issues around labor, business, working families and more. If you want to know about your candidates for Governor, this is a great conversation for you

Coffee with Kenny; The Jason Estevez Interview (PART 1) - Jason Esteves is running for Governor in the state of Georgia. Georgia Construction Careers Business Manager Kenny Mullins sits down with the gubernatorial hopeful to learn more about him, learn where he stands on issues around labor, business, working families and more. If you want to know about your candidates for Governor, this is a great conversation for you.

1:21 - Jason's background and family

12:50 - Dealing with divisiveness in our country

20:50 - Why he got into politics

Coffee with Kenny - Geoff Duncan, Georgia gubernatorial candidate.

All the major Georgia gubernatorial candidates recently spoke to our group of over 14 trade affiliates. Geoff agreed to join us to talk more in depth about his plan for Georgia as the primaries come later this year. Kenny and Geoff talk about issues facing working families, and specifically the future of skilled trades careers in Georgia. They cover several very important topics from the future of Data Centers in Georgia, to the importance of apprenticeships, to childcare for workers in the construction industry, to the growing mental health crisis among working people. If you care about the future of Georgia, this is an important podcast for you.

Privatizing the TVA will have a devastating effect on working families of the Tennessee Valley. Learn more about what you can do to help.

New Business Manager Kenny Mullins of the Atlanta North Georgia Building Trades Council (aka "Georgia Construction Careers) continues his podcast called "Coffee with Kenny", discussing relevant issue that affect the construction trades and union labor in the north Georgia area.

This episode's guest is Michelle Moore. Michelle previously served as a Senate-confirmed board member of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public power utility, and she currently serves as Board Secretary for the Interdenominational Theological Center. Her work is rooted in her faith and the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Michelle talks with Kenny about the potentially devastating effects that privatizing the TVA will have on jobs, the economy, and the way of life for the the 7 states (including parts of Georgia) it serves. Michelle enlightens us on the effort afoot by the Trump administration to privatize the TVA (Tennessee Valley Association) currently the largest public utility in the country. The TVA serves 7 states with hydroelectric, nuclear, coal, and natural gas. It is one of the most efficient power companies in the industry, delivering power to the people in the Tennessee Valley with some of the lowest per-kilowatt hour cost in the country.

If you believe similarly that TVA should remain as a utility owned by the people of the Tennessee Valley, please contact your representative as soon as possible. Here is the information:

Make sure to tell your Members of Congress - House members and especially your Senators - “DON’T PRIVATIZE THE TVA.”
Tell your local elected leaders “DON’T PRIVATIZE THE TVA,” and ask them to pass the message along to their colleagues in Congress.

WHY IT MATTERS
Congress would have to take action and pass a law to privatize the TVA. Every Member of Congress - House members and especially Senators - who commit NOT TO PRIVATIZE THE TVA builds a wall to protect the TVA and the Tennessee Valley.

Tell your Senator not to confirm anyone to the TVA Board who won’t pledge under oath that they SUPPORT PUBLIC POWER AND WON'T PRIVATIZE THE TVA.

WHY IT MATTERS
While Congress has to act to privatize the TVA, the TVA Board can sell it off piece by piece and weaken the p***c power model. New members of the Board have to be appointed by the President and Confirmed by the Senate, so it only takes a handful of Senators to stand up for TVA to stop any advocates for privatization from being confirmed.

Bio: Michelle Moore is author of “Rural Renaissance” and CEO of Groundswell, a nonprofit that builds community power by cutting electricity bills in half with solar, energy storage, and energy efficiency projects that make local communities more resilient. An experienced energy executive and former White House official with roots in rural Georgia, her accomplishments range from cutting the government’s energy bill by $11 billion and deploying 3.2 Gigawatts of new renewable energy, to developing LEED into a globally recognized brand.

There is a proverb that states, "A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others". Join us on this episode of "Talkin' Trades" as Randy Beall shares wisdom from years of working in the building trades. Randy has guided the Atlanta North Georgia Building Trades for nearly a decade and today (4/30/2025) he retires from a long and distinguised career in the union construction trades. Randy's tireless work with the Georgia Building Trades Academy "YouthBuild" program has had a profound impact on the lives of young Atlantans. He has helped countless young people from at-risk backgrounds find gainful employment in the construction trades. Today Randy shares his story, the influences on his career, the things he wish he knew when he was coming up, and the wisdom he hopes to pass along to ensure the success of future tradespeople.

Georgia business is booming and more companies find our state a desirable place to do business. With the current administration's focus on bringing manufacturing back to the US, how will Georgia be able to keep up with the already demanding power needs to support that? What does that mean for labor needs in our state? And who will lead us into the diversification of power that will be needed to accomplish all this? Georgia Public Service Commissioner and Vice-chairman Tim Echols joins Talkin' Trades to discuss this and much more. If you are wondering how Georgia plans to meet the power infrastructure demands, from coal, to nuclear, to wind, solar, and hydro-electric, this is a great podcast to learn about it all.

YouthBuild, YouthBuild How Y'all Feel!! Check these young people out! YouthBuild through the Georgia Building Trades Academy recently held graduation ceremonies last month for another class of promising young people who are creating a positive path in their lives. YouthBuild is changing lives by preparing at-risk youth ages 16-24 for a career in the skilled trades. These graduates earn a number of certifications, and they are automatically granted acceptance to one of 14 different building trades apprenticeship programs. It's a fantastic program that has the power to change the trajectory of a young person's life. This group is living proof! If you know someone who could benefit from this program, reach out to us at https://www.gabta.org/youthbuild/

"Talkin' Trades" Episode #16 - What does an Elevator Constructor do? And how can you get involved? It's a lucrative career and it might be just right for you. Get the straight scoop from Stewart Spencer, Business Manager for IUEC (International Union of Elevator Constructors) Local 32 in Atlanta. The future is about going to the top in this industry and Stewart and his team can get you there.

Others talk about teaching young people about the power of giving back, YouthBuild delivers! Georgia Building Trades Academy and YouthBuild go all-hands-on-deck to revitalize the historic SCLC Women's Center on Auburn Ave. in Atlanta!

You can make to the top of the business world through the trades. Dave Tzimenatos of McKenney's is living proof. Much is made about the decision to either "go to college" or learn a skill or trade and get a job, as if learning a skill or trade stops there. Not true. The union trades provide a path to upper management, business ownership, entrepreneurship just as any college would. They only thing it DOESN'T cost you is tuition debt. That doesn't get talked about enough.

Mechanical Contractors in Georgia do important, highly skilled work that makes a difference, and they need good people. There are hundreds of stories of people just like you that utilize the apprenticeship track to jump start a career in a field that is booming with opportunity.

On today's Talkin' Trades, we talk to Dave Tzimenatos, Field Operations Manager of McKenney's and Andy Sumpter, EVP of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia about their path. Dave came through the SMART Local 85 apprenticeship track as a sheet metal worker and is proof positive that you can work your way up, provide for a large family (Dave has 7 kids!) go as far as you want in the mechanical trades through union apprenticeship and membership.

Through the apprenticeship track of either SMART Local 85 (Sheet Metal) or UA72 (Plumbing, Pipe Fitting, HVAC Tech), you can go as far as you want in the business world and it won't cost you a dime in tuition. Both trade unions have state-of-the-art training facilities with industry leading instructors who will teach you everything you need to know. And the Mechanical Contractors Association has dozens of employers who can put you on your path to on-the-job training the very first day you sign up. With guaranteed raises each year, and an opportunity to turn out as a certified journeyman, it's the best opportunity going. Where you take it from there is up to you!