Robert Underwood of Abbeville graduated from the Telecommunications and Security program at Wiregrass Georgia Tech in 2000. After graduation he left his South Georgia home to move to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a few years before deciding to return to his roots.

Underwood opened A-Tech Communications in Rochelle, Georgia in 2011. The company provides voice, data and fiber optic cable infrastructure design and installation. They design, install and manage projects all over South Georgia. Some of the company’s recent jobs included projects for Southwest Georgia Technical College, Wilcox County Schools, Sumter County Schools, and Dougherty County Schools. Currently Underwood and his company are installing the data system for the new Treutlen County K12 School in Soperton.

Underwood maintains a close relationship with the telecommunications program at Wiregrass by serving on the advisory council for the program, and providing services to the college as they increase their technology. Underwood has also recently hired several graduates of the telecommunications program for his own company.

When discussing the future of A-Tech, Underwood stated “A-Tech Communications plans to become a premier provider of communications cabling for educational institutions so that they can exceed