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Updated: October 20, 2025 2025 ESOP Essentials

Wright-Ryan

Photo courtesy of James Florio Tekαkαpimək Contact Station. All Wabanaki Cultural Knowledge and Intellectual Property shared within this project is owned by the Wabanaki Nations.

Operational overview

Products and services offered: For more than 40 years, Wright-Ryan has delivered top-tier construction services, from preconstruction and estimating to general contracting, construction management, self-performance, and ongoing warranty and maintenance services.

Market presence and competitive positioning: As one of the region’s largest and most competitive construction firms, 100% employee-owned Wright-Ryan has grown over four decades to more than one hundred professionals with expertise across higher education, healthcare, hospitality, multi-unit housing, commercial, and high-end custom residential projects.

Geographic reach or areas of operation: From its Portland headquarters and Westbrook Operations Center, home to field operations, prefabrication, and custom millwork, Wright-Ryan delivers comprehensive services throughout Northern New England. In 2025, the firm expanded with new offices in Northeast Harbor on Mount Desert Island and Bangor, Maine.

Employee participation and benefits

What is one way employee ownership has strengthened your company’s performance?

Employee ownership has strengthened Wright-Ryan by aligning individual contributions with the company’s long-term success. As 100% employee owners, the team approaches each project with accountability and pride, delivering consistent, high-quality results. This culture was recently recognized as Wright-Ryan was named one of the 2025 Best Places to Work in Maine, a distinction based on a comprehensive analysis of workplace practices and employee feedback.

What is one professional development opportunity your employees value most?

Employees especially value Wright-Ryan’s structured Mentorship Program and the Wright-Ryan Ownership Committee (WROC). Members of The WROC act as leaders and ambassadors for the firm’s ownership culture, with more than one in five committee members also holding the peer-nominated Golden Hammer Award — the company’s highest honor for living its core values. Together, these initiatives foster growth, recognition, and active engagement in the company’s success.

Company culture

What is one event or activity that brings your employees together?

Wright-Ryan’s culture thrives on events and activities that connect people across departments and roles. Each spring, the company’s annual meeting brings the entire organization together to celebrate milestones, share strategic goals, and strengthen team focus on a shared vision. Wright-Ryan also takes pride in highlighting industry-wide celebrations such as Women in Construction, which promotes the contributions of the firm’s female colleagues. The company celebrates being 100% employee-owned each October during Employee Ownership Month, as well as at summer and winter gatherings that bring employee-owners together to connect and enjoy time outside of their day-to-day work.

How does employee ownership shape your customer relationships?

Employee ownership amplifies Wright-Ryan’s long-standing philosophy of collaboration, transparency, and service. Nearly a decade after becoming 100% employee-owned, the company has experienced remarkable growth — providing unprecedented career opportunities and reinforcing its commitment to promoting from within. This culture of ownership has strengthened customer trust, elevated satisfaction, and ensured delivery of unrivaled service.

Community and social impact

Does being an ESOP influence your community involvement? How does your company give back to the community?

Being an ESOP sharpens Wright-Ryan’s focus on giving back to the communities where employee owners live and work. For more than 40 years, the firm has partnered with community-based organizations across the region to deliver unique facilities that advance their mission. This commitment extends beyond construction to include volunteer service, expertise, and financial contributions. Recent work on the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument earned recognition from MEREDA, AGC Maine, and Engineering-News Record, underscoring Wright-Ryan’s shared ownership values.

How do employee-owners decide which community initiatives to support?

Wright-Ryan generally focuses on five primary causes: social services (especially for children), education, environment, the built environment and arts and culture. In addition, the company’s annual collaboration with the United Way of Southern Maine allows employee owners to direct their own contributions through a payroll deduction campaign — empowering everyone to support the initiatives most meaningful to them. This approach balances collective impact with personal choice, ensuring community engagement is authentic and far-reaching.

Company Info

Company ownership held by employees through the ESOP: 100%

President/CEO: Alan K. Sparn, PE

Employees: 102

Location/Headquarters: Portland, Maine

Founded: 1984

Year transitioned to ESOP: 2016