Fort Myers construction firm founder retires, company now employee-owned

Fort Myers pre-construction, earthwork and infrastructure services firm EHC is transitioning to become an employee-owned company.

The move, according to a statement, allows for founder Jeff Hunt and co-owner Greg Hunt to retire from daily operations. Jeff Hunt founded the company in 1990. In addition, Tony Hamilton, who joined the company in 2005, was named president, and Shane Graves, who joined the company in 1998, was named vice president of operations. All four will continue to serve on the EHC board.

An employee-owned company, or an Employee-Stock Ownership plan (ESOP) is a retirement plan where the ownership of the company is held in trust for the benefit of the employees of the company, according to the ESOP Association. The trust buys the company on behalf of the employees and uses the profits of the company to pay off the loan used in the purchase. That allows employees to gain ownership as a result of their work, the association states, not in paying out wages or income.

“With strong financials and a bright outlook, EHC’s future is brighter than ever,” Hamilton says in the release. “The ESOP empowers our current and future employees, strengthens our culture, and ensures that everyone shares in the rewards of our continued growth and success. Together, we are building a legacy where every employee is invested in EHC’s future."