Andrew Underwood
Superintendent
FROM: Adrian, Missouri
THEN: Bachelors of Science of Construction Management – December 2012
NOW: Massman Construction Company in Kansas City, Missouri
Greatest Accomplishment & Career Path:
The interest in construction was sparked in Andrew Underwood by his grandfather, father, and uncles. At the age of 15, Andrew began building homes for a local contractor. The summer after freshman year at Missouri State, he traveled to New Orleans working on his first large scale construction project – The Huey P. Long Bridge – as an ironworker. It was at this time that Andrew reached a life-altering moment, “At the conclusion of that summer I knew I wanted to build the largest structures I could get my hands on.”
Fueled by this desire, Andrew interned in the summers with Massman Construction. It was with Massman that he was able to expand his knowledge by working on The Huey P. Long Bridge, The Stan Musical Veterans Memorial Bridge (1-70 Bridge – St. Louis, Missouri), and working in the home office – estimating and project proposals. After graduation, Andrew had the opportunity to work as a field engineer on the Nucor Steel Port Facility Dock Terminal – Baton Rouge Louisiana and the Caney Fork River Bridge – Nashville, Tennessee.
Andrews’s greatest accomplishment was working on a 1.5 billion-dollar P3 Design-Build cable stay bridge – The Goethals Bridge Replacement Project between New York City and New Jersey – this project was a collaboration between Massman, Kiewit, and Weeks. Andrew recounts, “As the bridge grew so did my responsibilities on the project. I was a Field Engineer for the first few years of the project working on Drilled Shaft Foundations and Main Span Towers.” It was on this project that Andrew accepted a promotion as Superintendent. Andrew states, “Completing this massive bridge project is my greatest professional accomplishment thus far.”
How MSU Equipped Andrew For His Career:
Andrew was equipped through not only theoretical education but also by application-based education, “My education at Missouri State University gave me the tools needed to be a professional in the industry. The programs and competitions offered through the construction management program gave a real-life example of what construction is.”
Advice for Current Students and Recent Graduates:
“Never settle for anything less than extraordinary. Be the example, not the statistic. Leave a legacy.”