Andris White has faced a number of struggles – struggles that would have beaten many people down.
Andris dropped out of high school at age 16, and his adopted parents both died of cancer in his early 20s.
His first three construction businesses failed. The first was due to youthful inexperience. The second was due to a predatory contract that ended in bankruptcy, and the third was due a partner's embezzlement from the business.
The pressure of the business failures led to 3 divorces. At one point, he was homeless and living out of his truck with his dog.
But Andris persevered, stayed positive and kept working hard.
After all that, he formed AM Equipment, which has been going strong for 15 years. Today, the company has 20 employees in two locations.
The Massachusetts location performs heavy highway, concrete, paving and site preparation work, while the New York office focuses on building construction. Revenues continue to grow.
“I’ve always had a positive outlook; I always look for the good in people; and I always give back to my community. There’s always going to be bad people, and I’ve run into more than my fair share, perhaps, but I know I love the game. I love the excitement of a new job and seeing happy customers.”
Andris credits past Contractor of the Year finalist MacKay Construction with giving him his big break as an MBE/DBE certified subcontractor on DOT projects in Massachusetts.
MacKay Estimator Kyle Annutto says, “Andris has a heart of gold and is a man of his word. His crew always meets our goals, performs the work that we need and anything else. They are strong on safety and always look presentable on the jobsite.”
In the video above, Andris shares his unbelievable journey, business philosophies and how he keeps his crews happy and harmonious.
Equipment World is now seeking nominations for the 2025 Contractor of the Year awards, which highlight contractors who have excelled in their local markets by displaying the highest standards of business acumen, equipment management expertise, attention to safety and community involvement. Twelve finalists and their guest will receive an expense-paid trip to Nashville and access to exclusive events next spring. To access the Contractor of the Year application, click here.
