In this episode, Chad Hughes welcomes William Phelps, Land Specialist for Grid United, to the show to talk about his career and the right-of-way and land industry at large. William details the journey he took in different aspects of his career that led to his current position and the lessons he learned along the way. He highlights interpersonal skills and a more holistic approach to land acquisition as part of the joys of his profession, as he and Chad explore what it means to be in land for Grid United. William identifies three key components in the work he does in the land industry. The first is money, the second is having a readable document that is fair and equitable for landowners, and the third is the placement of the linear structure through the land - does it work for the landowner? To ensure these components are all addressed, he recommends that anyone in the industry surround themselves with smart people and be adept at community alignment. Chad and William discuss the specific details and requirements for electric transmission lines, making the country more efficient, renewable power sources, and the career opportunities that exist in the land industry. They discuss how social media plays into overall perceptions of the industry and even how Hollywood representations like the show Landman affect how people view things. William’s advice to anyone considering entering the industry is to be surrounded by smart people, be driven, and enjoy the challenges because it’s anything but boring. “And I think the the approach that we have, that the community engagement is so, so critical to our success as right of way agencies, right of way managers and so forth, because it is so impactful when Farmer Jones or Rancher Jones goes to church and he's sitting beside the county commissioner, whom we met with two weeks ago, and he says, Hey, did you hear about this power line project? Yeah. And they say the same thing. They have the same story. That is so impactful. And it gives you, on the land side, it gives you so much credibility.” - William Phelps About William Phelps: As a Land Specialist, Bill Phelps oversees all land and right-of-way activities for Grid United, to ensure budget, process, and staffing fulfill the land needs for the company’s over 1,100 miles of acquisition across six states. With over 30 years of experience in managing land acquisition, permitting, survey work, and community relations support, Bill applies his deep understanding of landowner and project needs to all phases of project development. Having completed multiple linear projects without invoking eminent domain, Bill maintains an exceptional track record of success in upholding the fair and equitable treatment of all involved along the route, underpinned by his extensive field experience and communication skills. Bill holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Animal Science/Pre-Vet) from the University of Kentucky. --- Chad Hughes | CEO, Entrepreneurial Leader, Author: website |linkedin Bill Phelps |Land Specialist, Grid United: linkedin | website Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
