Salas O’Brien is now owned by its 300 team members!

“This is the biggest day in Salas O’Brien’s history,” said Darin Anderson, chairman and CEO. “We’ve gone from one owner 11 years ago, to 44 a month ago, to 300 employee-owners today. And all of this happened in one of the most challenging economic periods that our industry has ever experienced.”

As consolidation happens across the engineering, architecture and construction industry, Anderson says that Salas O’Brien has been approached many times about being acquired by a larger firm or private equity investment company. “But I always knew that employee ownership was the right thing to do for our people and our company,” Anderson said. “With this transition, we can now guarantee the vibrancy, health and perpetual nature of our organization—and ensure that we as employees remain in control of our destiny.”

“The move to a 100 percent ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) organization brings many advantages, but the core of the decision was the ownership culture that will enable Salas O’Brien to flourish even further into the future. We have great ambitions for our employee-owners and this organization. We are just in the early stages of our growth and success,” Anderson continued.

“Under our previous structure, I witnessed many times the profound change in team members’ mindsets when they became employee-owners,” said Paul Silva, president and COO. “I am thrilled that we now have the opportunity to roll that out to our entire company.”

“I often tell people that Salas O’Brien has a hyper focus on quality that produces exceptional results and long-term client relationships,” said Anderson. “Creating a company of employee-owners is the best possible way to ensure those exceptional results for our clients, while at the same time making sure we as employees share in the dramatic success that Salas O’Brien has experienced and will continue to experience.”