Building for Generations
Celebrating 40 Years
For forty years, Wright-Ryan has been building Maine’s great spaces – built environments where Maine’s people have lived, worked, learned and thrived for generations. Throughout 2024, Wright-Ryan will shine a spotlight on the team members, partners and projects that have been integral to our success over the last four decades and highlight all the ways in which we will continue to build for generations to come.
Four Decades of History
Wright-Ryan was established in 1984 by Tom Wright and John Ryan, two childhood friends who shared a belief that creating a relationship-based firm where people cared about each other would unlock excellence. We have since grown to include more than 100 team members, with expertise that spans both commercial and residential construction. Throughout the last four decades, Wright-Ryan has been committed to a signature focus on innovation, sustainability, and long-lasting partnerships.
Childhood friends on Cliff Island, John Ryan and Tom Wright begin forming what is now known as Wright-Ryan through many conversations and discussions.
The year Wright-Ryan is officially formed as a company, kicking off with a residential project in Cape Elizabeth. In the same year, Wright-Ryan welcomes two team members who are still with the company today.
Wright-Ryan’s first large commercial framing project, at 25,000 sq. ft., and one-time home of the Frye Boot Store in Freeport.
Wright-Ryan moves offices from 62 Hampshire Street to 10 Danforth Street. By the end of 1989, Wright-Ryan had grown to employ over 30 carpenters.
During the Savings & Loan Recession, Wright-Ryan focuses more directly on general contracting and residential work. Tom and John commit to enduring throughout the recession.
The Children's Museum of Maine was Wright-Ryan's first project acting as Construction Manager, which cemented construction management as a cornerstone of the company’s delivery methods and service offerings.
Wright-Ryan's largest project thus far, completed on a very tight timeline and a key milestone project. Through the strength of our team, Wright-Ryan completed the project (consisting of 51,000 square feet) in less than 6 months.
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2002 marked Wright-Ryan's first foray into strategic planning which became an annual exercise – a touchstone for the organization and set the company on a path to success. From this strategic planning, a redesigned logo and a new tagline emerges - "Building Maine's Great Spaces".
In the early 2000s, Wright-Ryan further committed to focusing on green business practices in the field and office. As part of this focus, the company hosted a community event at University of Southern Maine with acclaimed environmentalist, Hunter Lovins.
Tom Wright moves on from Wright-Ryan, signaling another recalibration of the company as Wright-Ryan enters its next phase.
Cranberry Ridge was the first home in the Northeast to receive the LEED Platinum designation. Wright-Ryan partnered with Freeport Community Services to host open house weekends to educate the public on incorporating sustainability into their own homes and raised $40,000.
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Following the assignment of a General Manager for Wright-Ryan's residential work, Wright-Ryan Homes is officially established as its own division, signaling an intentional focus on residential projects.
Over the course of 15 years, Wright-Ryan grew from roughly 20 employees in 1993 to 90 employees by 2008.
Throughout this challenging era of the Great Recession, Wright-Ryan regrouped and emerged as a stronger organization, diversifying and preparing for future expansion.
Focused on our local community, Wright-Ryan volunteered skilled labor and donated resources to build the entirety of a Habitat for Humanity House.
Wright-Ryan received three Maine Preservation awards for work at Healy Terrace in Lewiston, Hedge and Roger Williams Halls on the Bates College campus in Lewiston, and the Knox Hotel in Thomaston.
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Wright-Ryan completes construction, serving as Construction Manager, to convert the former headquarters of the Portland Press Herald into the Press Hotel.
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Wright-Ryan becomes employee-owned, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the company and continuity of the team.
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One of the largest Passive House developments in North America, this project was designed and built to Passive House standards while keeping the critical importance of cost control in balance to meet the standards of an affordable housing development in Maine.
Read MoreFrom 2017 onwards, Wright-Ryan's employee-ownership leads to a new level of success - forming the strongest team in the company's history and tackling some of the most challenging and rewarding projects to date.
Wright-Ryan works to create and support opportunities for women as a core element of its commitment to fostering a new generation of leaders. In 2017, over 45% of all women at Wright-Ryan serve in senior leadership positions and female team members represent nearly 15% (14.7%) of Wright-Ryan's total workforce. This figure far surpasses the national average. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, women represented only 9.1% of the total employed workforce in the construction industry in 2016.
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In 2019, Wright-Ryan Employee Owners participate in United Way of Southern Maine's "United We CAN" volunteer event as part of Wright-Ryan's Employee Giving Program. This event helped bring more than 26,000 meals to greater Portland!
Read MoreWright-Ryan navigated rapid change in an unsteady environment. Remote work became the norm for those who could, and the company adopted new protocols to keep the teams safe and effective in the field.
Coinciding with the public launch of A Monumental Welcome, a fundraising campaign for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Wright-Ryan announced its role as Construction Manager serving Elliotsville Foundation, in partnership with a Wabanaki Advisory Board, to help realize the vision for a visitor contact station in the Monument.
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Wright-Ryan looks ahead to the next 40 years and how the company will continue building for generations to come.
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Our Legacy
Throughout our history, Wright-Ryan has emphasized trade expertise, sustainability, and community. We believe employees are our most valuable asset, and in 2016, we proudly became a 100% employee-owned company. In the same year, we completed work on the Village Centre Apartments project in Brewer, Maine – serving as Construction Manager (CM) to Community Housing of Maine. Village Centre is one of the nation’s first, and largest, Passive House certified, multifamily affordable housing communities. In 2023, Wright-Ryan was announced as the CM serving Elliotsville Foundation, in partnership with a Wabanaki Advisory Board, to construct the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Our legacy of expertise, sustainability, and community will carry through our work for the next forty years as we continue to build for generations to come.
40 Years of Projects
Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument
The Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument – Tekαkαpimək translates from the Penobscot language to “as far as one can see” and is pronounced de gah-gah bee mook. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is located within the present and traditional homeland of the Penobscot Nation. The Tekαkαpimək Contact Station building encompasses 7,896 gross square feet on two levels and is designed for 242 occupants.
Design goals for this residential project included taking advantage of the river and ocean views, a proper art gallery space, accommodations for a growing multi-generational family, a music room, and a open floor plan design conducive to entertaining. The resulting 5,000 sf custom home features a sleek design with windows in varying sizes and a mix of materials (both inside and out) that include granite, steel, horizontal cedar, and vertical copper.
When Wright-Ryan began work on Saco City Hall, we understood that attention to detail was paramount. This 1855 structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks to the details our Millwork division was able to replicate, we were able to bring a 19th century facility into the 21st century. In the process, Wright-Ryan Construction won the Annual Preservation Award from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
Wright-Ryan Spotlights Innovation at New Operations Center
Wright-Ryan is proud to share details surrounding their recently completed fabrication and field supervision facility at 15 Saunders Way in Westbrook, Maine. The facility occupies half of a 40,000 square foot building, one that was constructed by the Wright-Ryan team in close partnership with owner and developer, J.B. Brown & Sons, a leading commercial property management and development company based in Portland.
Wright-Ryan Marks 40th Year with Announcement of New Leader
Today, Wright-Ryan announced an upcoming transition in leadership as the company celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024 and looks ahead to the next forty years. Alan Sparn, who has served as Wright-Ryan’s Chief Operating Officer since 2022, will succeed John Ryan as President beginning on June 30, 2024. At that time, John Ryan will continue as Chair of the company’s Board of Directors.
Wright-Ryan Celebrates Forty Years of Building Maine’s Great Spaces
Wright-Ryan today launched “Building for Generations” an anniversary celebration of its 1984 founding by Tom Wright and John Ryan. Through a series of special initiatives planned for the coming months, the anniversary campaign will focus on the future of Wright-Ryan while shining a spotlight on the team members, partners and projects that have been integral to the firm’s success over the last four decades.
