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Part 2 of our conversation with Luke Miller (Colorado Pavement Solutions) and Rob Slauson (VP of Operations, ESI). If you missed Part 1 — their backgrounds, company culture, and why they invest in NUCA of Colorado — start there first.

This half is a full breakdown of HB26-1311, Colorado's new retainage surety bond law, effective August 2026. Retainage is a form of risk transfer — owners and GCs hold back a percentage of a contract as assurance the work will be completed to standard. Luke and Rob aren't arguing against that mechanism; they're walking through what happens when it's held well past its purpose, and the new tool the law gives contractors to manage it.

Covered in this half: what retainage actually is and why it exists (told through a King Soopers grocery analogy you won't forget), how a surety bond works as an alternative form of security, the real legislative process behind getting a bill passed — sponsors, lobbyists, committee hearings, and the case made by those opposed — and what's still unresolved on the public-works side.

Plus two hard-lesson stories that'll make you appreciate a clean job site: the time Luke's foreman dropped asphalt into a sanitary manhole, and Rob's unforgettable morning waist-deep in a force main.

This one's for the C-suite, the CFO managing cash flow and total cost of risk, the estimator pricing risk into a bid, and anyone — GC, owner, or sub — who wants to actually understand how this new law works before it shows up in their next contract.

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Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Luke Miller (Colorado Pavement Solutions) and Rob Slauson (VP of Operations, ESI) — two very different paths into the same industry.

Rob grew up on an asphalt crew in Wisconsin, paid in cash at 12 years old, and has been on the construction side ever since. Luke studied political science and public policy, worked in local government, then found his way into the industry almost by accident before co-founding Colorado Pavement Solutions in 2017. James, Nathan, and Perry dig into how those two backgrounds shape the way they each think about leading people.

This episode covers what separates companies that run well from the ones that don't, how culture actually gets built (and why it's easier to see when you leave a bad one), mentorship and career-pathing for a generation that isn't sticking around like it used to, and the generational gap between the 30-year field veteran and the kid who started yesterday.

We also get into industry associations — why NUCA of Colorado matters beyond writing a dues check, what real involvement looks like versus just showing up to the Christmas party, and the ROI question every owner and VP of Ops should be asking about their membership.

Part 2 picks up with how Luke and Rob took a problem they were both frustrated with and turned it into HB26-1311, Colorado's new retainage surety bond law — plus a couple of hard-lesson stories you won't forget.

This one's for the C-suite thinking about culture and talent, the owner wondering if association dues are worth it, and anyone trying to figure out how to build a team that actually sticks around.

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Get to know the two IMA Cohosts

1st part Nate

2nd part James

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Cameras don’t fix bad culture. AI doesn’t replace judgment.

Liberty Energy’s Michael Tuomi explains how fleet safety actually works—and why technology only amplifies what’s already there.

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Learn a little about Perry.

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Construction has some of the highest rates of suicide and substance use in the country. Yet many workers still feel pressure to stay silent.

In this episode, Heather Strong Gutierrez, Director of Safety at JHL Constructors, talks about turning pain into purpose after losing her son to a fentanyl overdose. She explains why safety must include mental and emotional health, not just physical hazards.

The group explores:

• Why stigma remains a major barrier
• How strong relationships on job sites create trust
• Ways supervisors can step in early
• How easy access to resources increases the chance someone reaches out
• Why caring for people also strengthens performance and retention

This is a real conversation about what it takes to build a culture where people are supported before a crisis happens.

If you lead people in construction, this episode is required listening.

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Focus: The evolving demands on underground infrastructure and how utility contractors can stay ahead.