November 27, 2025
In a manner that would seem foreign to many of those who are applying to jobs today, 35 years ago Andrew Bouwman found a local company in the phone book and walked into the Cornwall office of A49 to hand in his resume. By the next Monday, he had a job. One that would lead him to become the region’s go to team member for anything and everything.
In 35 years, Andrew has worked on almost every kind of project. The question, what haven’t you done, was one relayed during Andrew’s 35th anniversary party. This kind of experience makes him a fount of knowledge for any incoming staff.
Saralyn White, who joined A49 over 17 years ago recalls the way Andrew would involve her in projects right from the start. “If you walk through the office on any given day, you’ll spot Andrew, right in the middle of the action. I remember those early days, he’d pull up a chair or settle beside me to offer help. That hands-on approach hasn’t changed. Even now, when I pass by someone’s desk, I’ll catch him in that same posture, fully engaged. It’s been the same since day one, and it’s what makes him stand out. ” she said.
While his humbleness may have dissuaded him from adopting the moniker of Mentor, Andrew’s passion for the job and his way of sharing that passion with his team makes the name inescapable. “Everyone reaches out to him when they're stuck, they really value his perspective ,” explains Saralyn. “He gets [the team] involved in everything. He always raves about his mentees, and he reminisces about people who used to work here. It's like a second family.” Retired Cornwall team member, Marc Gauthier added, “Andrew has an awesome work ethic and his dedication to his craft is relentless. You can always count on him for advice and guidance.”
Having worked alongside Andrew for most of his career, Marc highlighted the way Andrew approaches his job. “Andrew always kept me on my toes by continually challenging me in a positive and educational manner. We did not always agree on everything, but this is what made work interesting. Nothing wrong with differing opinions but in the end, a consensus was always achieved, and we moved on harmoniously with the work,” Marc said.
What is perhaps the most obvious when working alongside of or meeting Andrew, is how much he loves what he does. Saralyn was able to explain it best when she said, “He gets really excited about just the work in general. You know, his voice raises, and he starts talking a little faster and, he's passionate about it. You know when someone does something or they're in this job and it's just in their blood? That's Andrew. It's just in his blood.”
How does he keep that passion alive? Andrew said that each project and each day is different. With something new to always engage with, Andrew said his team makes it even better. “Our team is phenomenal. We help each other out. I know [a project] is going to be good because they are excellent.”
Andrew’s team celebrated with a surprise party last Wednesday, but from all of us at A49, congratulations on 35 years of service.