Beacon News

Andrew Lem, E.I.T. is a Project Manager based in Beacon Consulting Group's NYC office. Andrew joined Beacon as a Project Engineer in early 2017. Andrew is a graduate of Villanova University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Prior to joining Beacon, Andrew worked as a Staff Engineer for a Pennsylvania-based engineering / consulting firm.

Since joining Beacon, Andrew has been working on a wide range of construction consulting assignments, serving our clients in all of the following areas:

• Construction Consulting Related to Surety Claims Projects
• Contractor Claim Analysis
• Change Order Review & Negotiation
• Construction Cost Analysis
• Construction Management
• Construction Defects Analysis
• Preparation of Bid Packages
• Communicating with the subcontractors/vendors on a daily basis
• Reviewing construction-project-related documents
• Managing Cost-to-Complete Analyses

Andrew also has extension experience leading Construction Project Monitoring & Analysis for leading banks, developers, and other construction project stakeholders.

We caught up with Andrew this week to learn more about him.

Question: You are now in your 7th year at Beacon Consulting Group. What types of projects do you enjoy working on the most?

Andrew: I enjoy working on residential buildings the most, it’s always interesting to see what the finished product looks like and how special features (for example, unique architectural features, such as an ornate staircase, special millwork, etc.) are planned and implemented.

Question: Given all of the experience you have acquired over the past 7+ years (first as a Project Engineer and now as a Project Manager), is there any advice you would give to young project engineers who are just starting out in the construction consulting field?

Andrew: My advice would be to start with the big picture and work your way down. It’s important to first identify the end result of what you’re trying to accomplish and contextualize/organize your thoughts through that lens as best as you can.

Question: Do you have any hobbies or activities you like to do when you are not working?

Andrew: I am perhaps the most dominant beer league softball player in the greater New York City area!

Question: I understand you like to explore national parks in the U.S. Any favorite places to hike or explore in the U.S.?

Andrew: My favorite places to hike have been either in Big Bend National Park (Texas) or Glacier National Park (Montana). They were both beautiful and unique in their own ways.

Question: Any places on your bucket list that you would like to visit in the future?

Andrew: I’ve been meaning to head out to Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado and Crater Lake in Oregon.