Welcome back to The ESOP Builder, a publication for JE Dunn employees designed to keep you updated on our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and highlight how the program directly impacts our employee owners.
This Spring 2026 edition overviews the many impacts JE Dunn’s Quality department has on our projects and, ultimately, our ESOP. We also go in depth on what exactly contributes to an ESOP, why it matters, and how it contributes toward your future.
We welcome your feedback and ideas to help improve The ESOP Builder. Please send your suggestions to Ben Hobbs.
For more information on our ESOP, visit Connect. Contact Anne Wright with any ESOP questions.
Between the continued data center boom and expedited project starts, this year will be busier than ever for JE Dunn. We anticipate a 45% year-over-year revenue increase — translating to a forecasted $11.7 billion in revenue for 2026. As we plan for and execute on this work, our continued focus on operational excellence remains vital. Margins are so thin in construction that even slight fee erosion can have a big impact on our bottom line.
We are proud to celebrate the 15 full years of JE Dunn’s employee stock ownership program (ESOP). It’s exciting to see the growing number of employee owners with impressive ESOP gains. Today we have over 4,100 employee owners in the ESOP, including over 1,300 whose balances are greater than $100,000.
April marks my one-year anniversary with JE Dunn. Between a record-breaking share price, exceptional sales, and impressive project completions, it’s been an exciting year to join JE Dunn. As both an employee owner and a new mom, I appreciate the strong value that our ESOP provides more than ever, knowing that my work is building a strong future for my son.
Balancing work with a young family is challenging, and I am grateful for the strong support and encouragement I have received leading up to and after maternity leave from colleagues — many of whom are parents themselves. As the first member of the ELT to have a baby in company history and the Executive Sponsor for our women-focused Employee Resource Group, Moment Connection, I hope that sharing my story can encourage my many fellow employees juggling the demands of their personal and professional lives.
While these experiences are deeply personal, they reflect JE Dunn’s families-first values and commitment to long-term value. The ELT continues to focus on how JE Dunn can build a resilient and diversified business for the next 100+ years. Recognizing that the data center surge won’t last forever, we continue investing in various business lines and exploring ways to ensure that our pipeline remains robust. By staying grounded in our values and focused on operational excellence, we are positioning JE Dunn for sustainable success going forward.
“When we’re able to prevent a quality issue on a job, not only does it reduce fee erosion, but what is incalculable is the fact that our owner may not use us again if we have a significant quality issue.”
91% of ESOP workers feel they can live comfortably in retirement compared to only 49% of non-ESOP retirees.
Employees at ESOP companies tend to earn higher wages and have greater savings than their peers in non-ESOP companies.
There are over 6,400 ESOP companies in the United States, covering around 15 million participants.
