Crooker Construction, LLC, a Topsham-based general contractor with a 90-year history, has officially transitioned to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), making all 175 current employees owners of the company.
Founded in 1935 by Harry Crooker, the company began as a small operation built with little more than a shovel and a dump truck. Over time, Crooker Construction grew into a family-run enterprise as Harry Crooker’s sons, Franklin and Theodore Crooker, joined the business and later assumed leadership upon their father’s retirement.
In 2014, longtime employee and then-Chief Engineer Thomas Sturgeon, P.E., acquired the company alongside a group of partners, continuing the family-centered legacy. The company further expanded its footprint in 2016 with the acquisition of Precast of Maine, strengthening its capabilities and market presence.
The transition to employee ownership reflects the current owners’ decision to ensure the company’s long-term stability while recognizing the workforce that has helped build its success. By selling the company directly to employees through an ESOP, Crooker Construction aims to reward daily contributions and ensure those who have shaped the organization also share in its future.
For decades, the company has built a reputation throughout Maine’s Midcoast region for its emphasis on quality, safety, employee benefits, and family-focused values. Leadership says the ESOP structure will help preserve those priorities while keeping the business locally rooted and independent.
Company leaders say employee ownership provides continuity for customers and business partners while strengthening investment in people, equipment, and the communities Crooker serves. The move also creates a long-term pathway for growth without sacrificing the culture that has defined the company for generations.
As part of the transition, Crooker Construction also announced a leadership evolution designed to support continuity. Thomas Sturgeon, P.E., who has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2014, will now focus exclusively on the role of Chief Executive Officer. Ian Messier, P.E., previously Chief Engineer, has been named President.
Messier has been with the company for more than a decade and is expected to guide Crooker Construction through its next chapter as an employee-owned firm. Company leadership expressed confidence that the new structure and leadership alignment will position the organization for long-term success while honoring the legacy established nearly a century ago.
Originally reported by Booth Bay Register.
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