“Be ready for change and be prepared for opportunities or roadblocks that can change your direction every few years. Now more than ever, the field is changing under our feet. Be part of that change – not blindsided by it.” –Robert C. Andersen BS'85
Robert Andersen founded RC Andersen in 2006 and grew it to a nationally top-ranked industrial general contracting firm. Since retiring as its CEO in January 2025, he has been serving the company in an advisory capacity. His 40-year career began with Paul Beck Associates as a structural engineer after graduating from the SoE in 1985 with a BS in civil engineering. After pivoting to contracting while working for Turner Construction, he turned to subcontracting with Wilkinson and Co. before returning to Turner, to undertake various roles. His decade as vice president with March Associates led to his decision to start his own firm, which, under his guidance, quickly grew to the nationally recognized firm that it is today. His philanthropic initiatives include his 2022 establishment of the School of Engineering Robert C. Andersen Endowed Scholarship to benefit undergraduates studying civil and environmental engineering as well as supporting the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and the Chilton Hospital Foundation.
Congratulations on your School of Engineering Medal of Excellence Award. What does it mean to you?
I’m honored to be among a list of distinguished Rutgers alumni, who all share a passion for problem solving, for mentoring, and for taking on the risk and reward of building businesses and careers for others.
Why Rutgers?
After two years at Stevens Institute of Technology, I decided to commit to civil engineering and transferred to Rutgers, which had a larger department. I was thrilled with its variety of classes and subject matter.
Why civil engineering?
Some of my interest in construction, architecture, and engineering came from my dad – a Local 3 electrician.
I cycled through chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering before realizing that civil engineering – especially structural engineering – would be the right fit for me.
Do you have a favorite memory from your student days?
I was on the concrete canoe team, so we dragged our unique design a few states away to race. Our special epoxy paint hadn’t quite dried, which identified us as the ones with Rutgers red paint on our arms and clothes.
What have you most enjoyed about civil engineering?
As a field and career, I’ve found civil engineering and then construction management to be a very common-sense science. Things were tangible and relatable. We solve everyday problems and projects and build structures that support a growing population and economy.
Which of your many accomplishments are you most proud of?
Starting my own general contracting firm, RC Andersen, and successfully mentoring our team has been my most enjoyable and rewarding achievement.
What are the challenges and rewards of leading your own company?
The challenges and rewards are that you only have the person in the mirror to answer to and rely upon. You build a team, but you must be ready to take responsibility for all actions of every member of that team. You have to put ego and lofty ambitions aside and be content to build your business brick by brick on solid principles. If you do that right, and are fair to your employees, colleagues, and clients, the rewards will follow.
How would you describe your leadership style?
I mentored enthusiastically and often and empowered my employees to take on responsibility and I expected my team to learn and grow. I expected people to make mistakes, even though no decision is a bad decision. We can always adjust.
What advice do you have for today’s civil engineering students?
Be curious, take as many credits as you can for exposure to different sides of the field. Be ready for change and be prepared for opportunities or roadblocks that can change your direction every few years. Now more than ever, the field is changing under our feet. Be part of that change – not blindsided by it.
What prompted you to give back to Rutgers Engineering by establishing an endowed scholarship in your name for undergraduate civil and environmental engineering students?
I firmly believe in local education and subsequent local employment through our alumni network. I’ve been very blessed with success in New Jersey and wanted to give back to the university that gave so much to me. I’ve continued to support the engineering and athletic departments, and I know that they will in turn produce great graduates to enter our society.
What did you do for fun as a student – and what do you do for fun these days?
I enjoyed great friendships, intramural sports, campus concerts, and road trips following the football team. I still see many of those friends today and still do the same activities with them.
If you were to take a vacation tomorrow, where would you go?
We’re blessed to live now out in Wyoming and are big skiers, so we’re always ready for a new ski mountain. But if we got on a plane to travel outside the US, we’d go to Spain – especially Barcelona – for its great architecture and engineering.
