One Aggie’s Journey From Farm to Industry Is Paving the Way for Construction Science Students

Building Innovations

After graduation, Gold joined Raymond International, a marine contractor working on construction projects worldwide. At the time, every bid and estimate was done manually, and Gold quickly saw the limitations.

Although he had taken just one computer course in college, he began experimenting. “I spent nights and weekends turning our manual estimating system into a computerized one,” he recalled. “By 1982, we had it working, and I knew it could change the industry.”

And change it did. Using some of the first personal computers, Gold’s efforts became Heavy Construction Systems Specialists, which grew into the leading software company for heavy construction and revolutionized the field by making construction systems more accurate and accessible.

One key to success, he emphasized, was customer support. “If someone called on Christmas Day, they got an answer,” he said. “That made the system invaluable.”

Remembering Where He Started

That contrast between his struggles and success has shaped Gold’s perspective on giving back. “When I went to college, I didn’t have any money,” he said. “I lived in the dorms and only had a five-day meal plan instead of seven to save money. On weekends, if I had to stay for studies, sometimes I skipped meals.”
 

Those experiences never left him. Years later, he and his wife, Betty, established an endowed scholarship through the Texas A&M Foundation for students like him — first-generation Aggies from rural communities who need extra support.

“We wanted to focus on kids from Colorado County and nearby counties pursuing degrees in construction science, because those students often need a little more assistance financially,” he said.

The Golds have already met several of their scholarship recipients, and the experience left a deep impression. “The letters they wrote were first-class, and our conversations showed us the program is producing excellent students,” he added. “That meant a lot, but it also made us realize that giving doesn’t have to end with our current scholarship.”

Looking ahead, the Golds have arranged a bequest to the Foundation in their will to continue supporting the construction science department after their lifetimes. While much of the program emphasizes vertical construction like buildings and high-rises, their planned gift reflects Gold’s work in horizontal projects such as roadways, tunnels and bridges. It will not only provide student scholarships but also fund a professorship and fellowship for faculty specializing in horizontal construction or estimation, ensuring students have access to experts in the same field of work that defined Gold’s career.