I’ve had to learn that nothing is given. You’ve got to earn every bit. I’ve learned that most answers will not come easy, and any success worth achieving will require grit, determination, and fortitude.”
MATT
Senior Superintendent
Senior Superintendent Matt likes to take on complex and technical projects. His favorite thing about building is the fresh challenge of a new project and the feeling he gets when he steps back and views his accomplishments after completing a project.
How did you get into construction?
I guess you could say I started in construction as soon as I could hold a shovel! Growing up on a cattle ranch in west Texas, our family performed the majority of construction projects ourselves. My dad and grandfathers taught me various trades through the years including carpentry, plumbing, welding, concrete, and fence building. I began contracting my own work around the age of 15, building livestock fencing and providing brush control around local ranches. I worked through school at Texas A&M University doing carpentry and fence building. After college, I spent some time in the oil fields of west Texas, learning a different type of construction. My education really began once I started with Brasfield & Gorrie, where I learned the PROPER way of doing all the things I thought I knew.
What does your day-to-day look like at work?
Solving problems. There wouldn’t be much need for a general contractor if all the pieces were always in place and all trades performed their job in sequence, exactly as prescribed. So, I try to help my teams plan for and resolve the myriad of issues that arise through the course of our projects.
What do you like most about your job? What are you passionate about in construction?
There’s nothing quite like creating something out of nothing. I enjoy the challenge of complex and technical projects. I’m energized by the relevance and importance of our projects on the national stage.
When you work with a talented team to plan and execute a construction project, overcome the seemingly impossible, and then stand back and realize a completed structure that will stand the test of time, there’s a tremendous feeling of pride and accomplishment that keep us all coming back for more.
How has your career grown since starting at Brasfield & Gorrie?
My growth has paralleled the growth of those around me. As the company has grown and excelled, so have our opportunities. We are presented with amazing opportunities to build exceptional buildings with exceptional people.
What is a valuable lesson that you’ve learned during your career?
I’ve had to learn that nothing is given. You’ve got to earn every bit. I’ve learned that most answers will not come easy, and any success worth achieving will require grit, determination, and fortitude.
As far as advice goes, one piece that has stuck with me over the years came from John Robertson, who retired from Brasfield & Gorrie. He said, “If you’re gonna invest all your time in doing something, you might as well decide that you’re gonna be the best there ever was at it.”
