Brennan’s permanent presence in St. Louis didn’t begin with an acquisition. It started seven years ago with a phone call.
Matthew Hogan, Brennan’s regional operations director, needed marine support for a small drilling project and called Mindy Brundick, Budrovich’s regional operations manager. Challenging river conditions tested the crews, but the project also revealed something that would become increasingly clear over the years that followed: the two teams worked well together.
That first project grew into a seven-year working relationship, with Brennan and Budrovich collaborating throughout the region and developing a shared understanding of the needs of marine and industrial facilities.
Today, that relationship has entered a new chapter. Brennan has acquired the marine operations of Budrovich Contracting Co., Inc., establishing a permanent presence in St. Louis and bringing Mindy and her team into Brennan.
“We have partnered with Mindy and her team for the last seven years and are excited to bring the full line of Brennan service offerings to the St. Louis Harbor and beyond,” said Zach Pontzer, Brennan’s vice president of construction.
Over the years, the relationship between the two teams continued to grow. Project by project, Brennan and Budrovich built trust, learned each other’s strengths, and developed a similar approach to serving customers. Both teams place a high value on safety, quality, and practical problem-solving.
“Our teams have always worked in lockstep on the projects we’ve delivered together,” Hogan said. “Combining our complementary strengths and expanding our service offerings for clients is an exciting next step for both organizations.”
A Permanent Local Presence
Brennan’s St. Louis operation will continue serving waterfront and industrial facilities, from routine maintenance to larger construction and rehabilitation projects. The local team will focus on barge terminals, mooring structures, commodity conveyance systems, utilities, dredging, riprap, and other maintenance needs.
The location also creates new opportunities to support the owners and operators of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lock and dam structures, railroads, transportation infrastructure, and energy facilities throughout the region.
With more than a century of experience in marine construction, Brennan brings the people, equipment, stability, and specialized capabilities needed to complete complex work on and around the water. Local clients can now draw on Brennan’s fully integrated team of marine construction, commercial diving, environmental, and energy support professionals, expanding the services available to them while allowing them to continue working with people who understand the region and its waterways.
The acquisition also added 59 assets to Brennan’s equipment fleet, including generators, welders, support equipment, barges, material handlers, excavators, and four towboats ranging from 600 to 1,500 horsepower. These additions strengthen Brennan’s ability to support work throughout the greater St. Louis area and across the Midwest.
“Mindy and her team are a great fit because they share a similar business culture and values, and we’re excited to build on the momentum we’ve established,” Hogan said.
For Brennan, cultural alignment is central to the acquisition. Both teams believe strong work starts with listening to customers, finding solutions, looking out for one another, and delivering results safely. By pairing local knowledge and relationships with Brennan’s broader resources and service offerings, the St. Louis operation is positioned to meet customers where they are and support their needs as they grow.
Meet Mindy Brundick
Regional Operations Manager Mindy Brundick joined Brennan through the acquisition and is leading the St. Louis operation. She brings 12 years of marine construction experience, along with three additional years in crane work and estimating for land-based projects.
Before joining Brennan, Mindy managed the marine business unit for the Budrovich Family of Companies. In her new role, she will maintain existing customer relationships, oversee ongoing projects, develop new opportunities, and make the St. Louis team’s equipment and expertise available to support Brennan projects across the company.
Mindy’s experience spans the Upper and Lower Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois rivers, as well as projects on the Ohio River. During her time in the industry, she has developed strong customer relationships and helped build a versatile group of operators with the skills to tackle a wide range of marine construction challenges.
She describes the team as problem-solvers who take time to understand each customer’s needs before offering practical solutions. Just as important, its members look out for themselves and one another so everyone can return home safely at the end of the day. Years of working together have created a natural sense of responsibility among the crew, especially when conditions change or hazards arise.
The team also takes pride in completing projects that improve the communities where its members live and work. That connection to the region is personal for Mindy, who lives west of the St. Louis yard near the area where she grew up.
Before entering the construction industry, Mindy worked as a marketing director for a motivational travel company. The role gave her the opportunity to travel around the world, meet people from many backgrounds, and create lifelong memories. Even with those experiences, she eventually found her way back home.
“My mother always told me there was more to the world than Villa Ridge, Missouri,” Mindy said. “She was right, but I still found a way to get back to my roots.”
Most of Mindy’s family now lives within a 2-mile radius in an area she fondly calls “the compound.” Throughout her career, she has valued working for organizations with strong family values, making Brennan a natural fit both professionally and personally.
“The foundation Matt and I established created a platform of possibility for the acquisition,” Mindy said. “Zach Pontzer and the Binsfeld family saw value in our business, and the rest is history. I look forward to my future with the Brennan family.”
As Brennan begins this next chapter in St. Louis, the company is building on something already proven: trusted relationships, an experienced local team, and a shared commitment to solving customers’ toughest challenges safely. With Mindy leading the operation and Brennan’s full capabilities behind it, the St. Louis team is ready to grow its impact throughout the region.
About J.F. Brennan Company J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Brennan) is a family-owned marine construction firm specializing in environmental remediation, dam construction, commercial diving, harbor management, and submarine cable services. Working closely with public and private owners of water-based infrastructure since 1919, Brennan operates throughout waterways across the United States and Canada.
