“Versatile Voices” is a new blog series highlighting our incredible team at Versatile, including their impressive breadth of expertise and skills. Versatile’s employees have a range of fascinating life experiences; from industry authors to pilots, from data scientists, musicians, and ice hockey referees to superintendents and project managers.

This employee spotlight series aims to highlight the talented individuals who contribute to this special workplace culture in construction technology. For this month’s interview, we speak with Andy Holst, data consultant at Versatile.

How long have you been with Versatile? 

I joined Versatile at the beginning of 2022.

What motivates you? 

Contributing to the success of highly complex projects or processes, knowing that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

What does your job entail?

As a data consultant, I act as a “translator” for our customers to ensure that their expectations and business needs are being met (or exceeded!) with the data products that we currently offer and plan to offer in the future.

What inspired you to pursue this career? 

Using laser scanning techniques in the early 2010’s, I immediately realized the power that data can provide to the construction industry. I became that PM who always volunteered to try out the newest tech gadget.

The truly successful tech changed how we approached problems on the construction site. I wanted to be a part of this same success story for PMs who are as excited as I was.

What was your role as PM in construction and what did you do? 

Over my 20+ years as a construction project manager, I focused my expertise on the design-build delivery method. I’d typically have full oversight of a project from inception to completion. The types of projects I worked on have varied widely, the most notable and memorable being the Apple Store in Union Square, San Francisco and a brand new Napa winery fermentation facility for the Bordeaux winemaker Smith Haut Lafitte.

What role do you feel data will play in the future of construction?

Data is just now starting to flow more freely from the project site into the offices and onto the laptops of the superintendents, project managers, and executives of general contractors around the world. The free flow of data will increase trust and collaboration in construction, far beyond where it stands today. In the future, the importance of trust and transparency in data will lead to more successful outcomes, with more predictable budgets and schedules.

What’s the first thing you do when you start working every day? 

Crank up a steaming hot cup of coffee, it helps me to shift into work mode.

What’s your approach to navigating work challenges? 

Listen. No matter what, there are always valuable perspectives which deserve to be heard.

What’s something most people don’t know about you? 

While in college at Lawrence University, I was actively involved in multiple music ensembles as a trombone player. Because Lawrence is a Conservatory of Music, the jazz ensemble that I played in routinely hosted big name guests to play with us. I had the fortune of playing trombone in the jazz ensemble with Diana Krall, Leslie Gore, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, among others.

What’s your favorite place in the world?

Denali.

What is your motto or personal mantra?

Learn something new every day.

What is the one thing you can’t live without?

The outdoors, whether it is skiing or hiking, I’m game.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t working at Versatile?

I’d be interested in data science in other industries, such as biotech.

If you could invite any three people over for dinner, past or present, who would you invite?

Albert Einstein, Dave Grohl, and Fei-Fei Li.

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About Versatile

Versatile elevates construction performance management through its flagship solution Craneview®. ​​The data captured from project operations delivers smart insights to improve budgets, support construction scheduling, help with daily planning  and provide unmatched visibility into your production rates with hard data.

Leveraging AI and IoT, CraneView helps streamline construction resource allocation while  minimizing disruption to existing processes. The result? Increased productivity and efficiency, an improved safety culture, and the insights needed to manage and bid future projects more competitively.

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