Photo of Cathy Underwood

Cathy Underwood has worked at construction management firm Branch since 2000 and serves as its corporate business development officer. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.

1. What is your favorite part of your role as corporate business development officer for Branch?

The variety of the work and the opportunity to work with so many different people, both internally and externally. No two days are the same. I have the pleasure every day to help others develop their vision into reality. My career has been a series of experiences in different roles and so now I can lean on my experience in my previous role as President of our Builds division to help me in my business development role. It is exciting and inspiring to be with a company that’s growing, is employee owned, and puts a high focus on supporting the communities where we live and work.

2. What projects are you currently working on at Branch?

I'm working on our strategic plan and long-term vision. I’m also working on the Roanoke County Career and Technical Education (CTE) project along with two elementary school projects. These projects are great for workforce and talent development in our region. The Roanoke CTE project has been fun because we're always looking for skilled workers, and CTE fits right in that space.

3. What have you learned so far from your time as a GOVA Region 2 council member?

It reinforced my belief that we live in a great region for collaboration and advancement. The focus on working together to move the region forward in key core areas is exciting. I've also learned about the meaningful projects happening around our region that were made possible through GO Virginia.

4. What are some similarities between your role at Branch and your work on the Region 2 Council?

There's a lot of alignment between GO Virginia and Branch’s areas of focus. We are both concerned with talent development, to both recruiting and retaining top talent. The markets that I'm focused on in my role at Branch also align with the industry clusters in GOVA Region 2. Involvement in these sectors requires collaboration from a wide range of entities, including higher education, private business, and government. At Branch, we work on infrastructure projects of all types, which helps me understand the needs in our region.

5. What is your favorite part of living in GOVA Region 2?

We have the best of both worlds. We have the beauty of the outdoors and the opportunities that come with nature. Yet we're also technologically advanced and looking to grow in key areas that will allow the region to prosper. We have multiple top colleges and universities in our area, K-12 schools with leadership who understand the changing world around them and a desire to get students ready for their futures, as well as a great business base and health systems.

6. What hobbies and activities do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with my husband and our four children and supporting them in sports and school activities. They like to play volleyball, soccer, and basketball, and my son started golf this past fall.

7. What was the last book you read that you would recommend?

The last book I read that I would recommend is The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.