Infrastructure Junkies! Exploring Eminent Domain, Right of Way, and Infrastructure Development (formerly The Pendulum Land Podcast)

Infrastructure Junkies — Dan Bucan on Leadership, IRWA, and the Road to Omaha

In this episode, Dave and Kristen sit down with Dan Bucan, the incoming president of the International Right of Way Association (IRWA), for a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, service, and what’s ahead for the association. Dan reflects on his long IRWA journey, which began in the mid-1990s after attending luncheons while working for PennDOT. He shares how he never imagined he’d one day be leading the entire organization, and talks about the experience that shaped him through region leadership, the IEC, and years of listening, learning, and serving members. The conversation explores Dan’s priorities as president: keeping politics out of the association, elevating member-driven ideas, and launching task forces to move good initiatives forward instead of letting them stall. He also opens up about the kind of leader he wants to be — decisive, collaborative, and committed to recognizing the volunteers who keep IRWA running. Dave and Kristen also revisit their shared history with Dan, including old chapter meetings, the “Bucan Rule,” and the path that led Dan to run from the floor for IEC. The episode closes with a look ahead to the Omaha conference, the upcoming presidential term, and a hopeful vision for stronger connection across the IRWA community.