5 Minutes with Andrew Weir, Consultant

Come spend ‘5 Minutes With…’ Andrew Weir, Consultant, and Greencastle’s resident bagpiper.

That’s right, Andrew is an expert bagpipe player and if he looks familiar to you it’s because he played the National Anthem at the Greencastle charity golf outing this year!

But music is only one of his hobbies– continue reading to learn more about this former submariner beyond his military career and bio on our team page. He has a few book recommendations and bucket list spots you won’t want to miss.

What are some of your hobbies? 

First and foremost, my favorite thing is spending time with my family, and I keep busy in that arena trying to raise well-rounded kids and enjoying the little moments. I like spending time outdoors in most any capacity, playing bagpipes, guitar, drums, etc., and I’ve been working on my chess game and woodburning skills over the last few years. 

What is the next place on your bucket list to visit? 

I’m looking forward to camping at Acadia and Assateague next year. Acadia will be a return trip but there are plenty of parts I still want to see. I’ve wanted to go to Assateague for a long time, so it’ll be nice to finally get the chance. 

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

I’m somewhat fascinated with how many cultures have their own kind of meat and bread specialty (e.g. cheesesteaks in Philly, manapua in Hawaii, butties in Britain). So, if it’s possible to roll all of those up and generalize an entire category, that’s what I would go for. There’s a lot of versatility there. 

What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it? 

Right now, I’m reading “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr in parallel with “Think Again” by Adam Grant. “Cloud Cuckoo Land” is a just a joy to read. I love the author’s writing style and storytelling. “Think Again” is a good reminder for me to emphasize adaptability in my thinking. People who can reconsider beliefs and decisions are more effective when it comes to leading teams and dealing with plans inevitably changing. 

How did you get into your career field? 

I was a submarine propulsion plant supervisor who did a lot of maintenance scheduling and coordination for refits and overhauls. I realized that I loved an environment that involves planning, deconfliction, and creative problem solving and started looking into project management. I found out about Greencastle at the perfect time before my separation from active duty. I was already planning on moving back from Hawaii to Malvern, PA, where my wife is from, and searching for a SkillBridge opportunity to support the move and transition.  

To say Greencastle was ideal for me is an understatement. It offered me the chance to enter a field I wanted to be in with a company that invests in professional development, works with clients I was already interested in, and is within 10 minutes from where I wanted to live. All in all, it’s hard to beat all of that. I’ve been with the company for a year and am happy with the decision and really thankful for my experience here.

What is the best tip you would give someone to start their day off right? 

To credit Matt Blank, I love the idea of starting the day with the day before and getting a good night’s rest. Everybody knows this but it’s tough to set boundaries and follow through to make sure it happens. I’d take it one step further and say to make sure to take time to review your calendar and to-do list the day before too. This helps to set expectations and stay organized and focused on what’s important.